Around the CFL: Another quarterbacking Rourke among Canadians to watch in NCAA

The favourites to win the Jon Cornish Trophy as the top Canadian in NCAA football this season both would bring unique stories to the podium.

One has the same last name and plays the same position as the guy who won the award in its first two years. The other would be the first defensive player to capture the trophy.

Ohio quarterback Kurtis Rourke, younger brother of Ohio grad, current Jacksonville Jaguar and former B.C. Lions star QB Nathan Rourke, and Miami defensive linemen Akheem Mesidor headline another impressive crop of Canadians set to swing into college action starting this Saturday.

Rouke and Mesidor both are projected to have legitimate shots to make the NFL.

After just 62 Canadians played NCAA football in 2018, more than 200 did so last year. Here’s a look at some of the top NCAA storylines from a Canadian perspective.

Quarterback Kurtis Rourke

Team: Ohio
Year: Graduate student
Size: 6-foot-5, 231 pounds
Hometown: Oakville, Ont.

Bigger and taller than his brother, Kurtis is ready to go Saturday at San Diego State after suffering a season-ending knee injury last year. Nathan won the Cornish award in 2017 and ’18 and now is creating some buzz at Jaguars camp as the third-stringer.

Kurtis might be a better prospect at this stage of his career.

“I would say he has a shot and definitely on his own merit, not just because of what his brother accomplished and continues to accomplish,” Argos assistant GM Vince Magri said. “What he showed last year as a pocket passer, his ability to stretch the field, put the ball in tight windows, score lot of points, you saw how important he was to team when he’s out injured. I think he’s got all the tools to put himself in position to have a chance.”

Ohio is considered the favourite in the Mid-American Conference this year.

“I would suggest to you the cat’s out of the bag,” Calgary Stampeders CFL draft co-ordinator/defensive backs coach Dwayne Cameron said. “His brother kind of flew under the radar, including with CFL teams, and that mistake is not going to be made again. He might be more of an NFL prototype prospect than his brother was.”

There is one important similarity between the brothers.

“I think they’re both winners,” Winnipeg Blue Bombers GM Kyle Walters said.

Defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor

Team: Miami
Year: Fourth-year junior
Size: 6-foot-3, 290 pounds
Hometown: Ottawa

Was an all-ACC honourable mention last year in his first season with Miami after transferring from West Virginia, where he played two seasons. Mesidor led the Hurricanes with seven sacks.

“Explosive, big, disruptive,” Walters said of Mesidor.

“Watching him on film, he’s definitely got a chance (to make the NFL),” Magri said. “He’s big, long and physical. The thing that jumps off the tape initially is he can be disruptive and get to the quarterback from any position on the D line.”

Added Cameron: “His motor never stops.”

Tight end Tanner McLachlan

Team: Arizona
Year: Redshirt senior
Size: 6-foot-5, 240 pounds
Hometown: Lethbridge, Alta.

A transfer from Southern Utah last year after suffering a serious knee injury, McLachlan made seven starts at tight end for the Wildcats. He made 34 catches for 456 yards and two touchdowns. The catch total was the highest for an Arizona tight end since some guy named Rob Gronkowski made 47 in 2008.

“Obviously it’s very cool, but I want to beat his record this year,” McLachlan told the Arizona Daily Star. “Again, whatever the team needs, that’s what I’m willing to do.”

Wide receiver Nick Mardner

Team: Auburn
Year: Senior
Size: 6-foot-6, 206 pounds
Hometown: Oakville, Ont.

Tall receiver now on his third school after starting with Hawaii before playing with Cincinnati last year. With the Bearcats, he had 19 catches for 218 yards with three touchdowns. In his final year at Hawaii, Mardner had 46 catches for 913 yards and five scores.

Now, he’ll play in the powerful SEC.

“He has made plays at his last two stops,” Magri said. “He has the size and ability to get to a high point ball and catch it in traffic.”

Quarterback Christian Veilleux

Team: Pittsburgh
Year: Redshirt senior
Size: 6-foot-4, 220 pounds
Hometown: Ottawa

There was major buzz about Veilleux coming out of high school, but he saw limited action at Penn State the past two years before transferring to Pitt in December. He’s competing for the backup job with the Panthers, behind Phil Jurkovec.

The offensive linemen

Because there are no stats for offensive linemen, it often can be a challenge for the average fan to single out top performers.

However, it’s clear there are several Canadian pro candidates at the position across the NCAA landscape.

Those to watch include Buffalo’s Gabe Wallace (Salmon Arm, B.C.), Boston College’s Kyle Hergel (Toronto) and Illinois’ Isaiah Adams (Ajax, Ont.). The latter transferred to Illinois after starting his post-secondary career in U Sports at Wilfrid Laurier.

Two U Sports O-linemen, both from UBC, also are considered top prospects — Theo Benedet of North Vancouver and Giovanni Manu of Pitt Meadows, B.C.

“There are five, six, or seven legitimate offensive line draft picks,” Walters said. “(The question is) are they NFL or are they not? If not, it’s really good for our league.”

Games to Watch

Sept. 30, Georgia at Auburn: A chance for Mardner to open scouts’ eyes as his team faces the pre-season No. 1 and defending champion.

Sept. 30, Illinois at Purdue: Adams squares off against a Boilermakers squad featuring another highly regarded Canadian offensive lineman in Daniel Johnson (London, Ont.)

Nov. 7, Ohio at Buffalo: Rourke plays a Tuesday nighter close to home against a Bulls team with a top Canadian O-lineman in Wallace. The Bulls usually are a contender in the MAC.

Nov. 11, Pittsburgh vs. Syracuse at Yankee Stadium: It’s late in the year and Veilleux gets a chance to go to a unique venue. Could he get a shot against an Orange team that produced this year’s top Canadian NFL draft pick in offensive lineman Matthew Bergeron.

Nov. 24, Miami at Boston College: Perhaps a chance to see Mesidor and Hergel go head to head in the final regular-season game for both squads.

Jan. 1, CFP semifinals (Rose Bowl at Pasadena, Calif., Sugar Bowl at New Orleans)

Jan. 8, National championship at Houston

CFL Power Rankings

1. Toronto Argonauts (7-1, first last week): Play 10 consecutive weeks to finish the season after enjoying their third and final bye last week.

2. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (7-2, second last week): Star QB Zach Collaros returns this week after missing most of the past two weeks (both wins) with a neck injury.

3. B.C. Lions (7-3, third last week): Comeback effort fell just short in Regina.

4. Montreal Alouettes (6-3, fourth last week): Als have won four in a row and get QB Cody Fajardo back from injury this week.

5. Saskatchewan Roughriders (5-5, 8th last week): Third-string QB Jake Dolegala made the most of his start in an impressive win over B.C.

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6. Ottawa Redblacks (3-7, 6th last week): Team has lost four in a row with three of those decided in final minute.

7. Calgary Stampeders (3-7, 7th last week): Have lost four of five and QB Jake Maier remains inconsistent.

8. Edmonton Elks (1-9, 9th last week): Snapped 13-game losing streak with win in Hamilton. Canadian QB Tre Ford looks like he should have been starting since Day 1.

9. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (3-6, 5th last week): Bad in all three phases in ugly loss to Edmonton. Desperately need one of their top two quarterbacks back.

Week 12 Picks

Montreal Alouettes at Winnipeg Blue Bombers (-9), Thursday, 8:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. CT: Alouettes on a short week and on road after playing last Saturday at home. PICK: Winnipeg

Calgary Stampeders at Toronto Argonauts (-9.5), Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. MT: Stamps handed Argos lone loss this year in Calgary. Argos should be fresh and hungry coming off bye. PICK: Toronto

Hamilton Tiger-Cats at B.C. Lions (-10), Saturday, 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT: Former Lions RB James Butler has been one of the few bright spots for the Ticats. He can help keep this game close. PICK: Hamilton

Ottawa Redblacks (pk) at Edmonton Elks, Sunday, 7 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. MT: Can the Elks snap their North American pro sports record 22-game losing streak. We say yes. PICK: Edmonton

2023 Picks Record: 21-22

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