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