No. 1 pick gets feet wet in first pro camp
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/05/2017 (2501 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
He was celebrated as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 CFL Draft but there would be no special treatment for Faith Ekakitie when he hit the field for his first practice as a pro Wednesday afternoon.
The 6-1, 302-pound defensive tackle from the University of Iowa sweated and grunted like everyone else for two hours as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers opened their pre-season rookie camp.
His first impressions?
“Tired, real tired,” said the Brampton, Ont., product with a grin.
“The legs hurt, needless to say. Needless to say I’ve got a lot of work to do. Right now, things are still kind of spinning, just because it’s a new defence and we play fast. And to play fast, I need to pick up things real quick, so it’s going to take some time.
“I didn’t know what to expect, so I just came in with an open mind and just kind of roll with whatever they throw my way.”
The Blue Bombers have ambitious plans for Ekakitie, but he’ll have a steep learning curve as he adjusts to the intricacies of the Canadian game after a four-year career at a high-profile Big 10 school. He played one year of high school football in Ontario before moving to Lake Forest Academy in Illinois.
Ekakitie didn’t sound too concerned about the transition and, naturally, wants to contribute immediately. And he handled the post-workout media scrum like a pro.
“At the end of the day, football is football, so you line up, put your head in the dirt and you play,” said Ekakitie. “The only thing that’s really different is the terminology. Playing in one system for the last 4½ years, you get so used to those terms and playing that certain technique and then you come here and they say, ‘We’re going to call this, this’ and ‘We’re going to play this, this way.’
“It almost becomes second nature and you have to break yourself of those old habits.”
At Iowa, Ekakitie was a formidable run-stopper but only registered half a sack in his college career, hence his response to a question about what he needed to work on.
“Pass rush, pass rush, pass rush,” he said. “That and getting into better shape. I’m in OK shape but I’m not right where I need to be right now. No one is in game shape right now, so it’s just about coming out here, practising hard, trying to go hard every rep and working myself into shape.”
As for the theory he will need to lose some weight to be effective in the CFL, Ekakitie said management hasn’t asked him to slim down.
“It doesn’t hurt to be lighter,” said Ekakitie, who played a 295 pounds in his final season with the Hawkeyes. “(But) if I can play at this weight, then why not? If I can be as big as I can and as powerful as I can and still have the same agility and quickness, then why not?”
Winnipeg head coach Mike O’Shea sounded pleased with what he saw. “He’s a hard-working big man and he’s got some skill,” said O’Shea.
Ekakitie has no plans to crumble under the weight of lofty expectations. But is he feeling any pressure?
“Honestly no,” said Ekakitie. “Again, it’s an honour to have been drafted first overall but at the end of the day, it’s just a level. If you don’t make anything of it, then two, three years from now it will mean absolutely nothing. Right now I’m just focused on being the best player I can can be and trying to work hard for my teammates.”
The Blue Bombers already have veteran Canadian Jake Thomas at defensive tackle but also have a pair of non-import rookies, Rupert Butcher, a 2016 draftee, and 2017 draft pick Ian Marouf competing for work.
Winnipeg rookies return to the field today for a 10:15 a.m. practice at IGF. A final rookie session is slated for 10:15 a.m. on Friday.
Main training camp opens Sunday.
mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @sawa14
Mike Sawatzky
Reporter
Mike has been working on the Free Press sports desk since 2003.