SHOMARI WILLIAMS INTERVIEW.....CHECK OUT RIDER VISION
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Monday, May 3, 2010
RIDERS SELECTIONS IN THE 2010 DRAFT
Leader-Post staffMay 2, 2010
The Class of 2010
A closer look at the Saskatchewan Roughriders' selections in the 2010 CFL draft with comments from general manager Brendan Taman.
Name: Shomari Williams
Selected: First round (First overall)
Position: Linebacker
Age: 25
Dimensions: 6-foot-2, 235 pounds
Hometown: Brampton, Ont.
School: Queen's University Golden Gaels
The skinny: Registered 32 tackles and four and 8.5 tackles for losses in six regular-season games with Queen's in 2009 ... Had 26 tackles, 5 1/2 sacks and 7 1/2 tackles for losses during Queen's four-game playoff run to the Vanier Cup championship ... Dressed for 27 games at University of Houston over three seasons before transferring to Queen's to pursue an education degree ... Graduated from Houston with a degree in entrepreneurship.
Taman's take: "He's athletic and very good pass rusher. He's smooth, very strong and makes a lot of plays. This team has been built on character over the last little while and he fits into the mold nicely.''
Name: Jordan Sisco
Selected: Second round (Eighth overall)
Position: Slotback
Dimensions: 6-foot-1, 214 pounds
Age: 22
Hometown: Regina
School: University of Regina Rams
The skinny: Played 30 career CIS regular-season games .. Has 2,051 yards and 11 touchdowns on 141 receptions ... Canada West all-star in 2008 and 2009 ... Played quarterback for Riffel Royals.
Taman's take: "He's a football player, period. He's not going to run away from people but he knows how to play football. Getting Jordan was a real feather in our cap.''
Name: Patrick Neufeld.
Selected: Fifth round (33rd overall)
Position: Offensive line
Dimensions: 6-foot-5, 291 pounds
Age: 21
School: University of Saskatchewan Huskies
Hometown: Regina
The skinny: Spent three seasons with Huskies ... Canada West all-star in 2009 ... Graduate of Luther High School.
Taman's take: "He's an up and comer with a future. Realistically, he'll likely return to school for another year but he'll come to camp and have a good experience.''
Name: Bruno Lapointe
Selected: Fifth round (38th overall)
Position: Defensive end
Age: 24
Dimensions: 6-foot-4, 235 pounds.
Hometown: Lennoxville, Que.
School: University at Buffalo Bulls
The skinny: Has dressed for 27 games in four seasons with the Bulls ... Was slowed by shoulder injuries in 2007 and 2008 but started 12 games in 2009 ... Recorded 30 tackles, one sack and six tackles for losses.
Taman's take: "He's had some injury issues but there is a huge upside. He will probably play at Laval next year but he was too highly ranked on our board for us not to pick him.''
© Copyright (c) The Regina Leader-PostRead more:
The Class of 2010
A closer look at the Saskatchewan Roughriders' selections in the 2010 CFL draft with comments from general manager Brendan Taman.
Name: Shomari Williams
Selected: First round (First overall)
Position: Linebacker
Age: 25
Dimensions: 6-foot-2, 235 pounds
Hometown: Brampton, Ont.
School: Queen's University Golden Gaels
The skinny: Registered 32 tackles and four and 8.5 tackles for losses in six regular-season games with Queen's in 2009 ... Had 26 tackles, 5 1/2 sacks and 7 1/2 tackles for losses during Queen's four-game playoff run to the Vanier Cup championship ... Dressed for 27 games at University of Houston over three seasons before transferring to Queen's to pursue an education degree ... Graduated from Houston with a degree in entrepreneurship.
Taman's take: "He's athletic and very good pass rusher. He's smooth, very strong and makes a lot of plays. This team has been built on character over the last little while and he fits into the mold nicely.''
Name: Jordan Sisco
Selected: Second round (Eighth overall)
Position: Slotback
Dimensions: 6-foot-1, 214 pounds
Age: 22
Hometown: Regina
School: University of Regina Rams
The skinny: Played 30 career CIS regular-season games .. Has 2,051 yards and 11 touchdowns on 141 receptions ... Canada West all-star in 2008 and 2009 ... Played quarterback for Riffel Royals.
Taman's take: "He's a football player, period. He's not going to run away from people but he knows how to play football. Getting Jordan was a real feather in our cap.''
Name: Patrick Neufeld.
Selected: Fifth round (33rd overall)
Position: Offensive line
Dimensions: 6-foot-5, 291 pounds
Age: 21
School: University of Saskatchewan Huskies
Hometown: Regina
The skinny: Spent three seasons with Huskies ... Canada West all-star in 2009 ... Graduate of Luther High School.
Taman's take: "He's an up and comer with a future. Realistically, he'll likely return to school for another year but he'll come to camp and have a good experience.''
Name: Bruno Lapointe
Selected: Fifth round (38th overall)
Position: Defensive end
Age: 24
Dimensions: 6-foot-4, 235 pounds.
Hometown: Lennoxville, Que.
School: University at Buffalo Bulls
The skinny: Has dressed for 27 games in four seasons with the Bulls ... Was slowed by shoulder injuries in 2007 and 2008 but started 12 games in 2009 ... Recorded 30 tackles, one sack and six tackles for losses.
Taman's take: "He's had some injury issues but there is a huge upside. He will probably play at Laval next year but he was too highly ranked on our board for us not to pick him.''
© Copyright (c) The Regina Leader-PostRead more:
RIDERS LAND JORDAN SISCO WITH #8 PICK
Jordan Sisco
Photograph by: Troy Fleece, Leader-Post files
REGINA — The football future looks bright for prospect Jordan Sisco.
The University of Regina Rams receiver could be playing in the NFL or the CFL after developments over the weekend. Sisco started the weekend by taking part in a mini-camp with the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. Shortly after completing that camp, the Regina product learned that he had been selected in the second round of the CFL draft by his hometown Saskatchewan Roughriders.
"I didn't even think about the draft once during practice today,'' Sisco said Sunday from Indianapolis. "As soon as it ended, I realized that the CFL draft started in five minutes and that my name could be called at any time. Going from not knowing if I was going to play pro football to having on opportunity to play on two teams is pretty exciting.''
The Riders landed Sisco with the eighth overall pick. The selection of Sisco and that of linebacker Shomari Williams from Queen's University with the first overall pick left the Riders feeling pretty good about their two top picks in the draft.
"Getting Jordan was a real feather in our cap,'' said Riders general manager Brendan Taman.
The Roughriders were so pleased with the acquisition of Sisco that they are willing to wait and see what takes place with the Colts. Sisco wasn't sure what takes place next but thought he might be invited to another mini-camp on May 16. He also thought that he could be invited to the Colts' main training camp in the summer.
The Roughriders were so pleased with the acquisition of Sisco that they are willing to wait and see what takes place with the Colts. Sisco wasn't sure what takes place next but thought he might be invited to another mini-camp on May 16. He also thought that he could be invited to the Colts' main training camp in the summer.
"We'll have to see what happens after my agents talk to them,'' said Sisco. "If the Colts invite me back I will be here until I hear otherwise. I won't be disappointed wherever I go. It wouldn't be a bad thing going home to play football if things don't work out here.''
It sounds like the mini-camp was an eye-opener for Sisco.
It sounds like the mini-camp was an eye-opener for Sisco.
"There is a lot of terminology and the playbook is just crazy,'' said Sisco. "You think of (Colts quarterback) Peyton Manning, who is a genius, along with (senior offensive assistant) Tom Moore putting together a playbook . . . Just learning it and doing the plays was a lot of hard work. The coaches helped me out. They told me when I was doing something right and when I was doing something wrong. I learned a lot and it was good.''
Sisco was also impressed with Manning.
"He came out, introduced himself and shook the hand of every player at the mini-camp,'' said Sisco, who didn't run any routes with Manning. "It's not as if we didn't know him. I thought that was pretty nice.''
Sisco, 6-foot-1 and 214 pounds, is projected as a slotback. The Riders selected him despite being well-stocked with Canadian receivers. Among those receivers is slotback Jason Clermont, another graduate of the Rams.
Clermont signed with the Riders as a free agent in 2009 after seven seasons with the B.C. Lions. Taman said that Clermont remains part of the Riders' plans in 2010.
"When he came in here last year, the role that he was given maybe wasn't communicated to him the way it should have been,'' said Taman. "He wants to play and he will get every opportunity to do that.''
"When he came in here last year, the role that he was given maybe wasn't communicated to him the way it should have been,'' said Taman. "He wants to play and he will get every opportunity to do that.''
RIDERS SELECT SHOMARI WILLIAMS #1
The Saskatchewan Roughriders selected Shomari Williams as the No. 1 pick in Sunday's CFL draft.
Photograph by: Troy Fleece, Leader-Post
REGINA — Brendan Taman wasn't willing to risk losing a shot at linebacker Shomari Williams.
The Saskatchewan Riders' general manager wanted the Queen's University product so badly that Taman completed a pre-draft trade with the Toronto Argonauts for the first overall pick in Sunday's CFL draft. Taman sent the Riders' second and fourth overall picks and the rights to non-import punter Jamie Boreham to Toronto for the No. 1 and No. 8 selections.
The Saskatchewan Riders' general manager wanted the Queen's University product so badly that Taman completed a pre-draft trade with the Toronto Argonauts for the first overall pick in Sunday's CFL draft. Taman sent the Riders' second and fourth overall picks and the rights to non-import punter Jamie Boreham to Toronto for the No. 1 and No. 8 selections.
Taman used the first overall pick to select Williams, who was the top-rated player by the CFL's Scouting Bureau. Taman then selected University of Regina Rams receiver and Regina product Jordan Sisco with the first pick of the second round.
"The talks (with the Argos) went on for a while because we really wanted the guy that we took,'' Taman said Sunday during a media conference to introduce Williams at Mosaic Stadium. "We were very concentrated on getting Shomari's rights. We didn't want to wait for our second pick and risk that if (the Argos) didn't pick him. There were some concerns that we might get one-upped by someone else. We didn't think we sold the farm to get the picks, so we felt it was a pretty good deal for us.''
The Riders then had to wait for the draft to work its way to their eighth selection. They used that pick to select Sisco, who had spent the weekend attending a mini-camp with the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. Sisco hasn't signed with the Colts, so his status remains uncertain. Taman said he's willing to wait no matter how long it takes.
"Jordan is a Saskatchewan kid and he's played in this environment,'' said Taman. "He knows what Saskatchewan is all about and he has been a productive player. We're excited to get him. We were doing jumping jacks after that.''
Sisco sounded just as pleased to be selected by the Riders when reached in Indianapolis before returning to Regina.
"When you're little you cheer for them every weekend,'' said Sisco. "I never expected that I would be picked by them. I know a lot of the guys because I've either played with them or been introduced to them. Its exciting and I can't wait to see where am I in the next month or two.''
The Riders concluded the draft with two picks in the fifth round. They selected University of Saskatchewan Huskies offensive lineman and Regina product Patrick Neufeld with the 33rd pick overall and Bruno Lapointe, a defensive end from the University at Buffalo Bulls, with the 38th overall pick.
"We got the top guys we wanted to get with our top two picks,'' Taman said. "We had those guys earmarked and we were able to get them.''
What would take place with the first-round pick was the subject of a great deal of speculation prior to the draft. Taman said he confirmed the deal with Toronto on Friday, thus was able to fly in Williams for Sunday's media conference. The two were expected to complete details on a three-year contract late Sunday.
Williams, a native of Brampton, Ont., was as close to a consensus No. 1 pick in this year's draft as there was. He had heard the buzz about being selected first and his named being included in the trade talks.
"I got to make history by being the No. 1 pick and I'm coming to a great organization,'' Williams said. "It was crazy and you never know how it's all going to play out. Toronto would have been a good fit for me because it was close to home. I also knew that Saskatchewan was a good organization to go to. As soon as I knew it was a done deal, I was ecstatic.''
Williams played defensive end with Queen's and shared in the school's 33-32 victory over the Calgary Dinos in the 2009 Vanier Cup. He's expected to play the same position with the Riders.
"He was a positional need,'' said Taman. "He's a defensive end who will be a big part of our special teams going forward. He'll get some playing time on defence as his career goes on. He's a guy with a big future and we're looking forward to seeing him develop.''
"He was a positional need,'' said Taman. "He's a defensive end who will be a big part of our special teams going forward. He'll get some playing time on defence as his career goes on. He's a guy with a big future and we're looking forward to seeing him develop.''
The uncertainty around the status of the draft was heightened by some of the top prospects signing NFL contracts or attending mini-camps on the weekend. Williams, who spent three seasons at the University of Houston before joining Queen's last year, didn't pursue any NFL options.
"My agent (Darren Gill) put me in the best position to be a top prospect in the CFL,'' said Williams. "As a Canadian growing up here and playing in the system, I wanted to be here. I figured this would be the best opportunity for me to develop as a player.
"If the NFL is something that happens in the future, I can hone my skills here but I get to be part of the community here and get to be a somebody.''Read more:
Saturday, May 1, 2010
RIDERS GET #1 PICK IN DRAFT
Apparently Brendan Taman and the Argos were able to reach a deal on the first overall pick, at least according to sportsnet and the National Post.
It's expected the Riders will take Shomari Williams with the pick and that he will be in Regina on Sunday.
Here's a link of Williams working out and with playing with Houston before heading to Queen's. He also has a blog.
Details, er, I guess online Sunday and in Monday's LP.
It's expected the Riders will take Shomari Williams with the pick and that he will be in Regina on Sunday.
Here's a link of Williams working out and with playing with Houston before heading to Queen's. He also has a blog.
Details, er, I guess online Sunday and in Monday's LP.
RIDERS TRADE UP IN THE CANADIAN DRAFT
BY ARASH MADANIsportsnet.ca
Queen’s Golden Gaels linebacker Shomari Williams, in most CFL circles regarded as the best player on the board going into the 2010 Canadian college draft, will be the first pick taken on Sunday afternoon.
But it will not be by the Toronto Argonauts.
Sportsnet has learned that a series of trades involving three teams are ahead leading into Sunday’s draft. The Argonauts have agreed to trade its first overall pick, as well as the top selection in the second round (No. 8), to Saskatchewan. The Roughriders will give up both of its first round picks (No. 2 and No. 4) as well as a veteran Canadian player in return, to take the versatile Williams, 25, who anchored the Gaels defence in their run to the 2009 Vanier Cup title last fall.
Williams’s agent, Darren Gill, declined comment Saturday, but a source aware of the negotiations indicated that the University of Houston transfer has already come to terms on a three-year contract (including an option) with the Roughriders.
Toronto plans on taking Washington State offensive tackle Joe Eppele second, addressing an immediate need. The Argonauts also have an agreement in principle with B.C. to acquire the Lions’ No. 3 selection, swapping third and fourth picks. The Argos will then draft Concordia’s Cory Greenwood third overall, less than a week after the linebacker received faint NFL interest from the Kansas City Chiefs.
It is believed the Lions will make that move so long as they can still select wide receiver Shawn Gore, which would make the 23-year-old Toronto native the third Bishop’s Gaiters player drafted by the Lions over the past two drafts. Gore received a mini-camp invite from the Green Bay Packers last Saturday, but has yet to ink a contract with the NFL club.
A spokesperson for the Argonauts said head coach Jim Barker was unavailable for comment Saturday.
No trades have been registered formally with the CFL, sources said, which means no deal is official. It is believed the Argonauts will wait until they are on the clock Sunday to pull the trigger on the move with Saskatchewan. The Lions are set on taking Gore, so B.C. will likely sit until the top two picks move before agreeing to flip No. 3 and No. 4 with Toronto.
The Argos had been fielding calls from teams across the league regarding the top pick, but it was last week when discussions began to heat up with clubs who were legitimately interested after initial inquiries were over.
By Friday, a deal was in place between Toronto and Saskatchewan, two sources confirmed, and the Argonauts were already negotiating with Eppele’s new agent, former CFL defensive lineman Tim Fleiszer, yesterday.
Williams is expected to arrive in Regina Saturday, accompanied with his wife, to be unveiled as the newest Roughrider on Sunday afternoon
Queen’s Golden Gaels linebacker Shomari Williams, in most CFL circles regarded as the best player on the board going into the 2010 Canadian college draft, will be the first pick taken on Sunday afternoon.
But it will not be by the Toronto Argonauts.
Sportsnet has learned that a series of trades involving three teams are ahead leading into Sunday’s draft. The Argonauts have agreed to trade its first overall pick, as well as the top selection in the second round (No. 8), to Saskatchewan. The Roughriders will give up both of its first round picks (No. 2 and No. 4) as well as a veteran Canadian player in return, to take the versatile Williams, 25, who anchored the Gaels defence in their run to the 2009 Vanier Cup title last fall.
Williams’s agent, Darren Gill, declined comment Saturday, but a source aware of the negotiations indicated that the University of Houston transfer has already come to terms on a three-year contract (including an option) with the Roughriders.
Toronto plans on taking Washington State offensive tackle Joe Eppele second, addressing an immediate need. The Argonauts also have an agreement in principle with B.C. to acquire the Lions’ No. 3 selection, swapping third and fourth picks. The Argos will then draft Concordia’s Cory Greenwood third overall, less than a week after the linebacker received faint NFL interest from the Kansas City Chiefs.
It is believed the Lions will make that move so long as they can still select wide receiver Shawn Gore, which would make the 23-year-old Toronto native the third Bishop’s Gaiters player drafted by the Lions over the past two drafts. Gore received a mini-camp invite from the Green Bay Packers last Saturday, but has yet to ink a contract with the NFL club.
A spokesperson for the Argonauts said head coach Jim Barker was unavailable for comment Saturday.
No trades have been registered formally with the CFL, sources said, which means no deal is official. It is believed the Argonauts will wait until they are on the clock Sunday to pull the trigger on the move with Saskatchewan. The Lions are set on taking Gore, so B.C. will likely sit until the top two picks move before agreeing to flip No. 3 and No. 4 with Toronto.
The Argos had been fielding calls from teams across the league regarding the top pick, but it was last week when discussions began to heat up with clubs who were legitimately interested after initial inquiries were over.
By Friday, a deal was in place between Toronto and Saskatchewan, two sources confirmed, and the Argonauts were already negotiating with Eppele’s new agent, former CFL defensive lineman Tim Fleiszer, yesterday.
Williams is expected to arrive in Regina Saturday, accompanied with his wife, to be unveiled as the newest Roughrider on Sunday afternoon
RIDERS GET READY FOR CANADIAN DRAFT
By MURRAY McCORMICK, Leader-PostApril 30, 2010
REGINA — Information is key to the CFL draft and it's an approach the Saskatchewan Roughriders have embraced during the off-season.
The Riders attended the CFL's evaluation camp in Toronto in March and met with most of the prospects in Sunday's draft (10 a.m., TSN) but they also expanded on that process. Along with studying videos of the draft-eligible players, the CFL team also conducted exhaustive interviews with 25 to 30 of the draft prospects.
"Not all of the teams do this to the extent we have,'' Riders general manager Brendan Taman said Friday. "We want to know anything and everything about these kids. I don't want to brag about this but it's something that we really value. The information that we get is gold.''
It was an undrafted player who may have increased the Riders placed on gathering information. In 2007, free-agent receiver Rob Bagg made the Riders' roster as a rookie only to tell them that he was headed back to Queen's University to complete his studies.
Bagg returned to the Riders in 2008 and has emerged as one the team's premier Canadian receivers. Still, Taman wants to avoid a similar scenario occurring with one of the Riders' selections in this year's draft.
"That was a surprise and it won't be a surprise anymore,'' said Taman. "We know what all of these kids are going to do and what their goals are. There have been a couple that have given us the Rob Bagg scenario and we've taken them off our draft board because of that.''
Taman said the Riders have kept in constant contact with the prospects during their preparations for the draft.
"We know a lot of things about who is calling them and what they are thinking,'' said Taman. "We feel really good about the process but it's not a grab-bag thing. I was watching the NFL Network and they said the draft is the Super Bowl for personnel people. Trust me, the Grey Cup is the Grey Cup but this is a big aspect of what we do.''
The Riders have four picks in this year's draft — two in the first round and two in the fifth round. That number of draft picks has increased the pressure on the Riders to use them wisely.
"The chance to hit with only four picks compared to six or seven is rather significant,'' said Taman. "You really don't want to strike out on one of these picks.''
Preparations for the draft have consumed the Riders' staff. Taman said decisions on signing a backup quarterback have been put on hold until next week.
"There are a lot of things going on with the draft that are time sensitive,'' Taman said. "Not that the quarterback thing isn't because it is. We're trying to juggle a few balls at the same time and the quarterback situation will work itself out.''Read more:
http://www.leaderpost.com/sports/Riders+interview+over+prospects+leading+draft/2972901/story.html#ixzz0mgG1pfjb
REGINA — Information is key to the CFL draft and it's an approach the Saskatchewan Roughriders have embraced during the off-season.
The Riders attended the CFL's evaluation camp in Toronto in March and met with most of the prospects in Sunday's draft (10 a.m., TSN) but they also expanded on that process. Along with studying videos of the draft-eligible players, the CFL team also conducted exhaustive interviews with 25 to 30 of the draft prospects.
"Not all of the teams do this to the extent we have,'' Riders general manager Brendan Taman said Friday. "We want to know anything and everything about these kids. I don't want to brag about this but it's something that we really value. The information that we get is gold.''
It was an undrafted player who may have increased the Riders placed on gathering information. In 2007, free-agent receiver Rob Bagg made the Riders' roster as a rookie only to tell them that he was headed back to Queen's University to complete his studies.
Bagg returned to the Riders in 2008 and has emerged as one the team's premier Canadian receivers. Still, Taman wants to avoid a similar scenario occurring with one of the Riders' selections in this year's draft.
"That was a surprise and it won't be a surprise anymore,'' said Taman. "We know what all of these kids are going to do and what their goals are. There have been a couple that have given us the Rob Bagg scenario and we've taken them off our draft board because of that.''
Taman said the Riders have kept in constant contact with the prospects during their preparations for the draft.
"We know a lot of things about who is calling them and what they are thinking,'' said Taman. "We feel really good about the process but it's not a grab-bag thing. I was watching the NFL Network and they said the draft is the Super Bowl for personnel people. Trust me, the Grey Cup is the Grey Cup but this is a big aspect of what we do.''
The Riders have four picks in this year's draft — two in the first round and two in the fifth round. That number of draft picks has increased the pressure on the Riders to use them wisely.
"The chance to hit with only four picks compared to six or seven is rather significant,'' said Taman. "You really don't want to strike out on one of these picks.''
Preparations for the draft have consumed the Riders' staff. Taman said decisions on signing a backup quarterback have been put on hold until next week.
"There are a lot of things going on with the draft that are time sensitive,'' Taman said. "Not that the quarterback thing isn't because it is. We're trying to juggle a few balls at the same time and the quarterback situation will work itself out.''Read more:
http://www.leaderpost.com/sports/Riders+interview+over+prospects+leading+draft/2972901/story.html#ixzz0mgG1pfjb
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