Danny Maciocia and Jason Maas enjoy their trip to Edmonton with a stopwatch around their necks and a pencil at their fingertips.
They’re there to spy on the top prospects for the upcoming Canadian Football League (CFL) draft as part of the league’s evaluation camp. What are the Alouettes looking for? “Anything but a quarterback! »
This statement from Maciocia was followed by a laugh. The Alouettes rolled out the red carpet for their new franchise quarterback, Cody Fajardo, acquired through the free agent market.
He will be the starting pivot in the first game of the season.
PHOTO HEYWOOD YU, THE CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
Cody Fajardo
Until then, the Alouettes will try to fill their bank of players, and especially hopefuls, in all the other positions.
For the general manager, two criteria prevail: character and competition.
We want young people who want to compete every day. We want players who want to give importance to the team and the organization.
Danny Maciocia in videoconference
The auction will take place on May 2, in Toronto. The Alouettes have already started work. “The videos say a lot, maintains Maciocia. But the camp gives us an opportunity to see the players, how they behave, how they react to the drills. »
Even if “every time we can see the players interacting with the coaches, underlines Maas, the films do not lie. But the more we evaluate them, the better.
In the end, this kind of camp helps to “confirm what we see on video”, adds Maciocia.
Quebec talent
Since taking office in 2020, Maciocia has made it a point to prioritize local talent. During the last three drafts, he chose 12 players from the Quebec university network in 24 selections.
Of course, his nine years at the helm of the Université de Montréal Carabins before joining the Alouettes gave him a certain confidence. He has seen, analyzed and scrutinized all the best Quebec hopefuls.
“I was making a joke last week at the office. I think I have another year or two left with the players who are part of the RSEQ, because either I coached them or I recruited them. »
In the context, knowing so many players is an advantage since during evaluation days like these, he has the luxury of being able to dwell on other players, from other universities in Canada and the United States.
“I know them quite well, but I will focus on the players I know a little less, especially in interviews. It’ll give Jason a chance [Maas] to know them a little more. He will be able to form an opinion on these players,” assures the thinking head of the Alouettes.
PHOTO BERNARD BRAULT, PRESS ARCHIVES
Jeremy Murphy of the Concordia University Stingers in 2019
In Edmonton, Olivier Roy and Jeremy Murphy, from Concordia University, Arnaud Desjardins and David Dallaire, from Université Laval, Bertrand Beaulieu, Bruno Lagacé and Michael Brodrique, from Université de Montréal, Anthony Vandal, from Université from Sherbrooke, and Alexandre Marcoux, from McGill University, are the nine RSEQ players taking part in the evaluation camp.
The Alouettes will draft fifth and seventh in the next draft. They will then have the 13e32e39e41e59e and 68e choice.