The Montreal Alouettes used the first overall pick of the 2022 Canadian Football League (CFL) draft to select linebacker Tyrell Richards on Tuesday night.
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The club had also obtained this speaking turn from the Edmonton Elks, earlier in the day. In return, general manager Danny Maciocia gave the Alberta organization his own first-round pick, the fourth overall, as well as negotiating rights to offensive lineman Carter O’Donnell.
Considered the favorite to hear his name as soon as the draft opened, the Syracuse University product was the Sparrows’ lucky winner.
In his final season in the NCAA, in 2020, the Ontario native had 24 tackles and two quarterback sacks in eight games. After this campaign, he tried to change teams, but had not accumulated enough transferable credits. He spent 2021 practicing and training at a high school in Mississauga.
Richard was the third player on the CFL Scouting Bureau’s Top 20 list available for the 2022 Draft. Respectively first and second, wide receiver John Metchie III (Houston Texans) and linebacker Jesse Luketa (Arizona Cardinals) were selected at the NFL auction last week.
The “Als” evening did not end there, however, as they spoke a second time in the first round, in ninth place. With this choice, the Quebec organization chose pass receiver Tyson Philpot. The University of Calgary product was named four ranks following his twin brother, Jalen, who will continue his career with the Calgary Stampeders.
Last season, in the university ranks, the new target of Vernon Adams Jr. caught 41 balls for 746 yards and nine majors, in addition to carrying the ball 10 times for 103 additional yards.
The Alouettes had also acquired this choice through a transaction. This time, Maciocia sent the Winnipeg Blue Bombers his second-round pick (13e overall) and defensive lineman Cameron Lawson.
“We are very happy to have been able to improve our situation in view of the repechage of [mardi] evening. We will get our hands on a very high quality player without having to pay a big price, Maciocia said. All of our scouts and coaches were really elated to hear that we were able to close these deals.”
Three new international players
Moreover, the CFL held its international draft at the start of the day and the Alouettes had three speaking turns.
With the first overall pick, the Sparrows have set their sights on Nigerian defensive lineman Kingsley Jonathan. The latter played with Syracuse in the NCAA. In 56 games at this level, he made 101 tackles and 15 quarterback sacks.
In the second round, with the 18e choice, the “Als” selected Dutch tight end Thomas Odukoya. This is a product of Eastern Michigan University.
Montreal ended the season by choosing Australian kicker Kirk Christodoulou in the third round (19e in total). The 6’1″ athlete is a punt specialist who played for the University of Pittsburgh Pirates.
Finally, two international players from the Laval University Rouge et Or were selected during this auction. They are French cornerbacks Edris Jean-Alphonse and Souleymane Karamoko. The two young men were respectively the second-round picks of the Ottawa Redblacks and the Blue Bombers.