REDBLACKS brass delighted by draft day additions

06/05/2024 17:07

Rarely does a team leave the war room feeling like they got everything they wanted, but for the Ottawa REDBLACKS, this CFL Draft proved lucky.

The night began with Nick Mardner becoming the second-overall pick, adding another versatile target to the receiving corps. The six-foot-six red zone threat has suited up for a trio of NCAA schools in his collegiate career, hauling in 11 touchdowns over 81 games.

Mardner's best season came as a junior with Hawaii, where he pulled down 46 receptions for 913 yards and five major scores, which he followed with a three-touchdown season at Cincinnati the next year.

"He has the size, physicality, and speed, he checks all of the boxes," said REDBLACKS General Manager Shawn Burke. "He's been productive. It's tough to guard six-foot-six in that small space, and he's a guy that goes up and makes big plays. It's the way he blocks and competes every play."

His size combined with a 4.46 40-yard dash time at Auburn's pro day left the REDBLACKS gawking at Mardner's skillset, but also attracted the attention of NFL teams, being invited to New York Giants minicamp in May.

"We realize that he's going to minicamp, and we know there could be an opportunity for him if he's successful, but we ultimately felt the risk-reward factor there was something we couldn't pass up on," Burke said.

Nine picks later, smiles in the war room gleamed seeing Daniel Okpoko still on the board. Stunned by the development, the REDBLACKS wasted little time in selecting the Saskatoon native, who played the past five seasons at San Diego State University.

"You guys know I have a pretty serious face most of the time, and I'm out here smiling," Burke joked with the media. "We like Okpoko a lot, and we did not think we'd have the opportunity to select him at this spot. It was an excited war room."

In the remainder of the draft, the REDBLACKS spent picks on two defensive backs, two more wide receivers, and a linebacker, each and every one of whom Director of Canadian Scouting Chad Hudson believes has a chance to make things happen when training camp begins next week.

"Every one of these guys is going to get that opportunity," he said. "That was one of the things that Shawn [Burke] challenged me with. Our guiding philosophy was taking guys that we think have a chance to play with us."

Ottawa was one of two teams that didn't take an offensive lineman in the draft, the first time in franchise history that has happened. Hudson says it came down to their draft board. Had an offensive lineman topped their list, they would have made that pick.

As the night progressed, that never happened. Rather, every single time the REDBLACKS were on the clock, a player they anticipated going much earlier fell into their laps.

"It was a deeper draft, and guys we thought wouldn't be there later were there for us," Hudson said. "I felt the draft was deep right to the eighth round for us. We got guys in every round after the second that we thought would be picked earlier, and we think we did really well."