Bombers wheel, deal and pick local product in CFL Draft
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The Winnipeg Blue Bombers were busy making a deal early in Tuesday’s CFL Draft.
Winnipeg GM Kyle Walters, who owned the eighth overall selection, traded that first-round choice and the 28th overall pick to the Calgary Stampeders in exchange for a pair of second-rounders — the 13th and 14th picks.
With those selections, the Bombers drafted University of Connecticut wide receiver Kevens Clercius 13th and Delaware State running back Michael Chris-Ike in the 14th slot.
Clercius, a 24-year-old Montreal product, is a 6-2, 217-pounder who was rated 20th by the CFL Scouting Combine.
MICHAEL WYKE / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES The Blue Bombers drafted Montrealer Kevens Clercius a wide receiver from the University of Connecticut with their first choice Tuesday in the CFL Draft.
Chris-Ike, 25, is a 6-1, 225-pounder from Hamilton.
Later in the second round, Winnipeg opted for 6-6, 305-pound offensive lineman Gabe Wallace from the University of Buffalo with the 17th overall pick.
Wallace, 24, calls Salmon Arm, B.C., home.
With the 20th overall and final choice of the second round, the Bombers opted for UBC defensive lineman Kyle Sampson.
Samson, 23, is a 6-3, 290-pound product of Hamilton.
Winnipeg did not have a pick in the third round but made 10 choices in total.
In the fourth round (37th overall), the Bombers picked 6-1, 225-pound long snapper Ian Leroux of Laval.
In the fifth round, Winnipeg added to its offensive line depth buy choosing 6-2, 309-pound Ethan Kalra of Waterloo.
Later in the fifth, the Bombers made a more speculative choice when they opted for UBC offensive tackle Giovani Manu.
Manu, a mammoth 6-8, 340-pounder from Vancouver, was chosen in the fourth round (126th overall) by the Detroit Lions during the recent NFL Draft.
The 23-year-old was born in Tonga and moved to Pitt Meadows, B.C., when he was 11.
In sixth round (55th overall), Winnipeg stayed at home with the selection of University of Manitoba wide receiver AK Gassama, 24.
BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS FILES The Bombers picked U of M Bisons receiver AK Gassama in the sixth round of the CFL Draft.
The 5-9, 158-pound Vincent Massey grad is coming off his second consecutive all-Canadian selection as a member of the Herd.
In the seventh round, Winnipeg opted for another offensive lineman, selecting 6-3, 312-pound Michael Vlahogiannis of McGill 64th overall.
The Bombers closed out their draft selections in the eighth and final round, taking 6-4, 263-pound defensive lineman Owen Hubert of McMaster.
Earlier Tuesday, Winnipeg made two choices in the league’s annual Global Draft.
The Bombers selected linebacker Fabian Weitz of the European League of Football’s Cologne Centurions with the eighth overall selection and then added defensive back Lucky Ogbevoen of the Austrian Football League’s Tyrol Raiders with the 17th overall pick.
— staff
