Courtesy of Piper Sports Photography
Mitch Thompson spent parts of two seasons on the practice roster of the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders.
On Thursday, the 25-year-old Regina product will continue his efforts to get back into the league. The receiver is one of the prospects slated to attend the CFL’s Western Regional Combine in Winnipeg.
Each participant will look to impress the coaches, scouts and player-personnel types on hand in hopes of earning a shot in the league, either via the draft or free agency. On the other hand, a poor performance at the combine could scuttle a player’s chances at a pro career.
Thompson appeared in only four of the University of Regina Rams’ 16 regular-season games over the past two Canada West campaigns due to injuries, so he’s eager to use the combine to reintroduce himself to CFL teams.
“It’s definitely a big deal for me to showcase my physical attributes,” Thompson says. “I didn’t really get much of a chance to show what I can do on the field in the last two years, so the combine is definitely a chance to try to prove something.”
He’s not alone in that goal. The initial combine roster comprised 39 players, each of whom is hoping to make a positive impression and possibly move on to the national combine Saturday and Sunday.
“(The opportunity at the regional combine) is something that you’ve built towards over your time as a university player,” says University of Saskatchewan Huskies kicker Sean Stenger, a 24-year-old product of Saskatoon.
“Growing up, I was a pretty big CFL fan — a Rider fan in particular, being from Saskatchewan — so to be considered to potentially join that league is a huge honour and something that I’m super proud of.”
Stenger is one of three Huskies slated to attend the combine. Defensive back Brooks Falloon and defensive lineman Tristian Koronkiewicz also are to participate.
Thompson, receiver Thomas Huber, linebacker Danny Nesbitt, defensive back Korey Greene and defensive lineman Eric Wicijowski comprise the Rams’ contingent at the regional combine. Two former Rams — defensive back Jordy Kibamba and linebacker Dylan Minshull, both of the PFC’s Calgary Colts — also have been invited.
Thompson joined the Roughriders’ practice roster in 2013, when he was a member of the PFC’s Regina Thunder. He started the 2014 season with the Roughriders as well, but left the practice roster to join the Rams.
He played eight games in 2014 and seven in 2015, but tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee before the 2016 campaign began.
Thompson returned to the Rams for the 2017 season, but suffered a concussion in their second game. He was back in the lineup after missing two contests, but his season ended two games later when he sustained another concussion.
“I’m sure all the injuries stacked up on me will be a bit of a concern (for CFL teams),” admits Thompson, who has exhausted his U Sports eligibility.
The 5-foot-10, 190-pounder completed his Rams 
career with 85 receptions for 1,057 yards and eight touchdowns in 19 regular-season games. Because he showed enough with the Thunder to earn a spot on Saskatchewan’s practice roster, that experience could help him get another shot in the CFL — provided he does well at the combine.
“When I was (with the Roughriders), I did pretty well and showcased my ability to run routes against pro guys,” Thompson says. “I got open and I think a lot of people saw that and took note of it.
“With anyone who was there at that time who now is somewhere else (in another team’s front office), that could help me — especially since I didn’t play that much this year and not at all last year.”
While Thompson tries to come back from injury to make an impression at the combine, Stenger faces a different challenge.
Kickers have been invited to combines before — five went in each of 2016 and 2017 — but the events are a different kettle of fish for the specialists.
“The physical testing doesn’t have as much of an impact on (a team’s) opinion of you, so that’s why I’ve tried to put in some technical work at the golf dome to make sure I’m knocking off a bit of the rust before the combine,” says Stenger, who punted and kicked in Saskatoon’s indoor golf facility to prepare.
“The physical testing is not as big, but at the same time, you want to do a good job and make sure you don’t give a team a reason not to be interested in you through your testing.”
This year, the CFL invited two kickers to the Eastern combine and one to the Ontario event. Stenger is to be joined in Winnipeg by Jonathan Heidebrecht of the St. Francis Xavier X-Men.
In 2017, then-Montreal Carabins kicker Felix Menard-Briere went to the Eastern combine — and stood out. Competing against players from every other position, Menard-Briere posted the fastest times in the 40-yard dash, shuttle run and three-cone drill and finished in the top four in each of the vertical and broad jumps.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers subsequently selected Menard-Briere in the fourth round (34thoverall) of the 2017 draft.
“(His showing) gives you the feeling that the testing does matter a little bit,” Stenger says. “From my perspective, no one expects you to do well as a kicker, but if you can tear up the testing and compete with the other athletes, that could open some eyes for you.”
Stenger did that with his kicking in 2017, when he was named a Canada West all-star and first-team U Sports All-Canadian after hitting 12 of 16 field-goal attempts and all 28 of his convert tries. He also averaged 44.7 yards on 58 punts.
Stenger’s draft year has passed, so free agency is his only avenue to the CFL. He has one season of U Sports eligibility left or he could put his engineering degree and soon-to-be-earned communications certificate to work — unless a CFL team comes calling, of course.
To that end, the regional combine may be his last chance to catch someone’s eye.
“If I had to guess, I’d say teams probably look more at game film and the numbers, whether it’s punt average or field-goal percentage,” Stenger says. “But certainly you want to go to the combine and show a good attitude and good body language.
“You want to show you can compete in everything you do, work as hard as you can and leave a good impression.”
