Lack of Canadian content on the NFL draft radar

Most years, by this point, anywhere from one to five Canadians will have emerged as potential NFL draftees.

That hasn’t happened yet in 2018. The first confirming proof: No Canadians (who played college ball either north or south of the border) were invited to this week’s NFL Scouting Combine.

Now, that doesn’t necessarily preclude any prospect from being drafted, just as attending the combine doesn’t guarantee being drafted. There are exceptions every year, both ways.

Three Canadians participated last month in U.S. post-season college all-star games. If one had turned a slew of heads, he’d have received a combine invitation. That did not happen.

University of Montreal wide receiver Regis Cibasu of Montreal and University of Alberta offensive lineman Mark Korte of Spruce Grove, Alta., were this year’s two invitees to the East-West Shrine Game.

“Both got high grades for effort,” Mayock told Postmedia on a conference call on Monday. “I don’t think either of them is draftable.”

That’s not to say one, or both, won’t sign as a priority free agent with an NFL team immediately after the draft, as hundreds of undrafted players annually do, including usually a few Canadians.

The third Canadian who played last month in a U.S. all-star bowl game was University of Connecticut offensive tackle Trey Rutherford of Oshawa, Ont. The 6-foot-5, 312-pounder is the CFL Scouting Bureau’s No. 2-ranked Canadian prospect, according to its latest winter rankings, behind only University of Nebraska offensive tackle David Knevel of Brantford, Ont.

Last year’s two Shrine Bowl participants from Canada ended 2017 on an NFL 53man roster, despite not being drafted: tight end Antony Auclair from Laval (with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Manitoba guard-tackle Geoff Gray (with the Cleveland Browns).