Laurier star wants focus on receiving
Shamawd chambers will go into the May 3 Canadian Football League draft with a mild chip on his shoulder.
Understand, many in the same position as the lanky Wilfrid Laurier University receiver would take what’s bothering chambers as a compliment. But in the wake of his impressive performance at the CFL’S E-camp last month in Toronto, where he posted the fastest 40-yard dash time and was among the leaders in most other speed and agility drills, the six-foot-three, 219-pounder has been labelled as a “great athlete.” Surprisingly, that bothers him.
“I don’t want people to sit here and think the main reason why I’m where I’m at today is just because of what happened at the evaluation camp,” said Chambers during a conference call Tuesday with fellow first-round draft prospects offensive lineman Ben Heenan from the University of Saskatchewan and Laval University linebacker Frederic Plesius. “I think, personally, I had to have done something on the field (during his career at Laurier) to be talked about like the other guys on the phone. To be honest with you, I really wasn’t satisfied with my combine. I thought I could run faster, jump higher. But I think everyone thinks that. But I think people should start saying that I’m a great receiver, not just a great athlete. That bothers me sometimes.
“You don’t want to be looked at only as just a great athlete all the time, especially in a game like football. Everyone is a great athlete. Everyone who plays this game is a great athlete. You have to be. I had a chance to work with (former NFL receiver) Cris Carter in Florida and I’ve worked with some great receiver coaches, and I think they really helped me in honing and developing my skills. I think I developed a lot in my four years at Laurier, and I think I have a really big up-side. I have a lot to develop, but all of us have a lot.”
Chambers heads into draft day ranked No. 3 by the CFL Scouting Bureau, behind top-ranked defensive end Tyrone Crawford of Boise State and the No. 2 Heenan; University of Virginia offensive lineman Austin Pasztor is No. 4, followed by Plesius. The top-ranked University of Calgary prospect is offensive lineman Kirby Fabien, whose stock has fallen dramatically since the E-camp; he sits at No. 15 after being fifth in January.
But those rankings don’t necessarily correspond to draft position a week from Thursday; Crawford will be selected in the NFL draft, which kicks off Thursday, and no CFL team will gamble an early pick on him. The same likely applies to Pasztor.
Adding to the list of variables is the possibility Heenan and Chambers could be passed over in the NFL draft, but receive free-agent offers to attend camp, which would, again, change CFL draft-day strategies for the teams. While Heenan dropped to No. 2 in the prospects list after being first in two previous rankings, he’s the likely No. 1 holler on draft day (TSN will show the first two rounds, beginning at 1 p.m. Mst) by his hometown saskatchewan Roughriders.
“It doesn’t really bother me,” said Heenan of falling to No. 2. “Tyrone is an incredibly gifted defensive end, he’s got a fantastic college resume as well. So it wasn’t a huge deal to me. I’ve said before: it’s not so much where I’m chosen in the draft that’s important to me. It’s what I do once I’m in the league.”
The Calgary Stampeders will pick fifth in the first round, and likely will be looking for depth on both sides of the line of scrimmage, but a defensive back could be in the mix as well, as their top pick from the 2009 draft, Eric Fraser, may elect to test the free-agent market following this season, and the Stamps are still waiting for another high pick, Taurean Allen, to prove he can play at the pro level.
As for the top prospects, they’re eager to get the ball in motion so they can start preparing for life as a pro.
“I don’t know if relief is the right word; it just gives you a certain destination. . . . It’s another step on this long journey that we’ve all been on,” said Heenan.
“I just want to get to work,” added Chambers.
People should start saying I’m a great receiver, not just a great athlete. SHAMAWD CHAMBERS