Esks add to receiving corps with Behar
Ottawa product taken fifth overall in CFL draft
The Edmonton Eskimos may have found their future replacement for retired wide receiver Nate Coehoorn, and it just so happens his name is also Nate.
In his first Canadian Football League draft calling the shots, new Eskimos vice-president and general manager Brock Sunderland selected Carleton Ravens wide receiver Nate Behar with their first pick (fifth overall) in the 2017 Canadian Football League draft on Sunday night.
“He (Behar) helped us out with the (Ottawa) Redblacks for a couple years during training camp,” said Sunderland about Behar, who worked as a Redblacks assistant equipment manager the last two seasons.
“I know his work ethic and I’ve seen him in the weight room when nobody else is in there. I’ve seen him run routes on his own in the rain with a broken finger. I know his approach to the game. I know his intangibles and he’s got great character and loves football.”
In eight games this season, Behar recorded 788 yards and nine touchdowns. In his four-year career with the Ravens, Behar registered 178 receptions for 2,577 yards and 21 touchdowns in 30 games.
The 22-year-old is the first Ravens player selected in the CFL draft since 1995 after Carleton revived their football program in 2013.
Bear is a physical receiver who has big play ability.
“If I had to describe him, I think he’s a morph between Nic Demski and Brad Sinopoli. If you smudge those two together, you get Nate Behar,” said Sunderland.
“We were targeting him from the moment we finished our draft board. It took as long as it took to dial the number was how long we thought about it.”
Behar, who was reached via conference call had a draft party with friends and family and couldn’t contain his excitement about being drafted by the Eskimos.
“It’s so unbelievably amazing,” said Behar.
“Mike Reilly throws the football there. Shamawd (Chambers) is there, Jason Maas is the coach and I get to learn from Adarius Bowman. That’s quite the holy trinity of things. It’s the best place to go for a young guy.”
In the second round, the Eskimos added depth to their offensive line with the selection of Laval Rouge ET or left tackle JeanSimon Roy with the 14th overall selection.
The Esks love the versatility of the lineman who was the bench press king at the CFL combine earlier this year recording 39 reps of 250 pounds.
“He’s extremely athletic. The eye in the sky doesn’t lie and he pushes people all around the field.” said Sunderland.
“He’s played left tackle and can play left guard, but the thing that jumped out to us is that he started at centre without ever playing it before in the all-star game and in our opinion and dominated it.
“He’s versatile … but we see him more as a centre moving forward.”
In the third round (22nd overall), the Esks took linebacker Christophe Mulumba from the University of Maine. In 42 starts, he recorded 342 tackles. He recently took part in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie camp, but wasn’t offered a contract. Mulumba could slot in behind off-season acquisition Cory Greenwood.
“He’s a thick plug and play linebacker. We feel we’re getting a good special teams stalwart. We’re getting a guy that improves us on defence and special teams,” said Sunderland.
After taking University of Waterloo defensive back Jordan Hoover in the fourth round (31st overall), the Eskimos took a gamble on offensive lineman Justin Senior in the fifth round (40th overall). The Mississippi State product was the No. 1 ranked CFL prospect, but the Esks may have to wait on the 6’5” 331-pound lineman who was a sixth-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks in this month’s NFL draft.
“We feel he could be the steal of the draft,” said Sunderland.
“We understand he’s an NFL draft pick, but in a later round, we’re willing to take that risk.”
The Esks also selected defensive lineman Kwaku Boateng in the fifth round (41st overall), Carleton Ravens offensive lineman Kwabena Asare in the sixth round (49th overall) and McMaster defensive lineman Mark Mackie in the eighth round (67th overall).
The Alberta Golden Bears had two players selected on draft night. Running back Ed Ilnicki was taken in the seventh round by the defending Grey Cup champion Ottawa Redblacks, while wide receiver Tylor Henry was selected by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the eighth round.
“I know I wasn’t the most sought after guy at the combine, but Ottawa is getting a guy that is ready to work his butt off on every skill he’s asked to do and I will have my nose in the playbook,” said Ilnicki.