Riders select three at inaugural CFL-LFA Draft
MEXICO CITY — A day after scouting Mexico’s top football talent, Canadian Football League teams made their selections at the draft on Monday in Mexico City.
The Edmonton Eskimos selected Mayas receiver Diego Jair Viamontes Cotera first overall, as teams picked the top draft-eligible talent out of Mexico’s Liga de Futbol Americano Professional (LFA). The Esks were rewarded the draft’s top pick in a weighted lottery.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders selected a player in each of the three draft rounds. In the first round, sixth overall, the Riders selected offensive lineman Rene Francisco Brassea Valenzuela. In the second round, 15th overall, the team selected receiver Carlos Sebastian Olvera Rivas, followed by defensive back Francisco Javier Garcia Ramirez in the third round, 24th overall.
The Riders were represented by assistant vice president of football operations Jeremy O’Day and offensive coordinator Stephen McAdoo at the two day event in Mexico City.
Monday’s draft gives teams exclusive rights to their respective selections. The draft, which consisted of three rounds, was held after LFA players put their ability on display in Mexico City at the LFA Combine. Of the 51 draft-eligible players, 27 were chosen.
Prior to the 106th Grey Cup presented by Shaw last year in Edmonton, the CFL and LFA signed a letter of intent that will see them work together on several projects including possible CFL games in Mexico.
A summary of the draft can be viewed below:
ROUND 1
OVERALL | CFL TEAM | PLAYER | POSITION | TEAM |
1 | EDM | Diego Jair Viamontes Cotera | WR | Mayas |
2 | OTT | José Carlos Maltos Diaz | K | Fundidores |
3 | MTL | Enrique Gerardo Yenny Romero | K | Borregos ITESM Tol |
4 | TOR | Uriel Martínez Bernal | DE | Tigres UANL |
5 | HAM | José Humberto Noriega Montiel | WR | Artilleros |
6 | SSK | Rene Francisco Brassea Valenzuela | OL | Fundidores |
7 | BC | Octavio Noé Gonzalez Chapa | DL | Fundidores |
8 | WPG | Sergio Shiaffino Pérez | DB | Dinos |
9 | CGY | Andres Salgado Gómez | WR | Condors |
ROUND 2
OVERALL | CFL TEAM | PLAYER | POSITION | TEAM |
10 | EDM | Daniel Carrete Landeros | LB | Dinos |
11 | OTT | Guillermo Alberto Villalobos Zanabria | WR | Mexicas |
12 | MTL | Diego Rojas Kuhlmann | OL | Borregos ITESM Tol |
13 | TOR | Jose David Casarrubias Santiago | DE | Leones UAMN |
14 | HAM | Omar Alejandro Cojolum Delgado | RB | Mayas |
15 | SSK | Carlos Sebastián Olvera Rivas | WR | Aztecas UDLAP |
16 | BC | Fernando Richarte Martinez | WR | Dinos |
17 | WPG | Eduardo Manuel Hernández Reyes | S | Aztecas UDLAP |
18 | CGY | Oscar Hugo Silva Reta | K | Dinos |
ROUND 3
OVERALL | CFL TEAM | PLAYER | POSITION | TEAM |
19 | EDM | Jose Alfonsin Romero | DB | Artilleros |
20 | OTT | Maximiliano Soto Esquer | DE | Borregos ITESM Mty |
21 | MTL | Juan Manuel Márquez Tamayo | CB | Aztecas UDLAP |
22 | TOR | Chistian Alejandro Hernández Delgado | LB | Fundidores |
23 | HAM | Luis Humberto López Tinoco | RB | Condors |
24 | SSK | Francisco Javier García Ramírez | CB | Fundidores |
25 | BC | Gerardo Elias Alvarez Ovalle | WR | Dinos |
26 | WPG | Gabriel Amavizca Ortiz | K | Lobos BUAP |
27 | CGY | Guillermo Caldéron Leal | DL | Aztecas UDLAP |