The 2019 CFL–LFA draft took place on January 14, 2019.[2][1] Twenty-seven players were chosen from an invited pool of 51 Mexican players: 34 from the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA) (a professional American football league) and 17 seniors from Mexican university teams.[3]
| 2019 CFL–LFA draft | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Sport | Canadian football |
| Date(s) | January 14, 2019[1] |
| Time | 10:00 am CST |
| Location | Mexico City |
| Overview | |
| 27 total selections in 3 rounds | |
| First selection | Diego Viamontes, WR, Edmonton Eskimos |
Background
editIn October 2018, Canadian Football League commissioner Randy Ambrosie outlined a plan to grow the CFL's presence, which he dubbed CFL 2.0, including growth internationally.[4] In November 2018, the LFA signed a non-binding Letter of Intent with the CFL to share resources and to allow for at least one CFL game to be played in Mexico,[5] as wells as lay the ground work for special Mexican-specific editions of the CFL Combine and CFL draft.
On January 11, 2019, 51 players from the LFA and Mexican college ranks were announced as participants in a combine to beheld on January 13 and a 27-player draft to be held on January 14, 2019.[1] Each CFL team sent scouts and were reported to likely receive four picks.[1] Consensus after the combine was that 6-18 players were of (or could be made into) CFL camp caliber, but that a majority of players had no professional potential.[6] This led to criticism of commissioner Ambrosie for spending time and resources on this additional draft, when a collective bargaining agreement with the CFLPA still had not been reached.[7] Originally, there were plans for a 4-round 36-player draft but, after the combine and interviews, was scaled back to a 3-round, 27-player draft.[8] BC Lions General Manager Ed Hervey was reported to have, "settled for athletic and the ability to speak English" in player evaluations.[9] It was not reported if drafted players would count towards a team's National or International slots.[10]
On January 12, 2019, the LFA held their own domestic 66-player draft in advance of the CFL's draft.[11]
Selection order
editUnlike the normal CFL draft, which sets selection order based on a team's record the previous season (similar to the NFL draft), the CFL–LFA draft instead used a weighted lottery system where teams receive more balls in a selection bin depending on their record, with more balls increasing the chance at a higher draft priority (similar to the NBA draft).[1] The draft order was set the night before the draft:[12] The Edmonton Eskimos received the first pick, despite Edmonton's general manager and head coach both skipping the combine and draft process, sending a subordinate instead. Edmonton GM Brock Sunderland in particular was largely dismissive of the entire process.[13]
| Pick # | CFL Team | Lottery weight (% chance for 1st pick) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edmonton Eskimos | 6/45 (13.3%) |
| 2 | Ottawa Redblacks | 2/45 (4.4%) |
| 3 | Montreal Alouettes | 8/45 (17.8%) |
| 4 | Toronto Argonauts | 9/45 (20%) |
| 5 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 7/45 (15.6%) |
| 6 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 3/45 (6.7%) |
| 7 | BC Lions | 5/45 (11.1%) |
| 8 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 4/45 (8.9%) |
| 9 | Calgary Stampeders | 1/45 (2.2%) |
Selections
editRound one
editRound two
editRound three
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e Dan Barnes (January 11, 2019). "'FUN ELEMENT': CFL set for inaugural draft of Mexican talent".
- ^ "Mexico's top talent selected at CFL-LFA Draft". cfl.ca. January 14, 2019.
- ^ "CFL combine, draft in Mexico 'important first step' to expand brand". Toronto Sun. 11 January 2019.
- ^ "Randy's Word: Talking CFL 2.0". 3 October 2018.
- ^ "CFL, LFA sign letter of intent to grow football in Canada and Mexico". Retrieved 2018-11-23.
- ^ Naylor, David William (13 January 2019). "Consensus from talking to CFL coaches and GM's at Mexico City combine: of the 50 players here, roughly a half-dozen would not look out of place in a CFL camp, another dozen could be developed into camp-worthy players and roughly 30 have no CFL pro potential. #CFL".
- ^ Edwards, Drew. "Mexican combine produces six players who 'would not look out of place in a CFL camp' - 3DownNation".
- ^ Barnes, Dan (13 January 2019). "The original thought was to have a two-round draft in Mexico, then perhaps a four-round affair to choose top prospects and long-term projects but it was dependent on talent. CFL personnel decided on three rounds. Happy medium".
- ^ "Mexican combine, CBA talks make for unusual off-season: Lions' Hervey - The Province". 17 January 2019.
- ^ Hodge, John. "Logistics following LFA draft a problem for CFL - 3DownNation".
- ^ "Mexico: Liga de Futbol Americano Professional holds 2019 Draft". American Football International. 13 January 2019.
- ^ Barnes, Dan (13 January 2019). "Full draft order: EDMONTON, Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Hamilton, Sask., BC, Winnipeg, Calgary".
- ^ Edwards, Drew. "Brock Sunderland finally said what we've all been thinking about the CFL in Mexico - 3DownNation".
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