Like every year at this time, all 9 teams of the Canadian Football League will go through their final adjustments on who will be selected for the upcoming CFL Draft on Tuesday, May 2nd, 2023, at 8 pm eastern standard time. For the Edmonton Elks, there has been a sense of optimism that they turning a corner after two disastrous seasons in both 2021 and 2022 respectively.
The Edmonton Elks did a lot of good things during the opening day in CFL Free Agency on Tuesday, February 14th, 2023. The Edmonton Elks were very aggressive in obtaining some high-end talent by acquiring WR Kyran Moore, WR Eugene Lewis, and WR Steven Dunbar to name a few. This will give a lot more options for both QBs in Taylor Cornelius and Tre Ford respectively entering the 2023 season. Not only are they a lot better offensively, but they also have a lot more depth than they had over the last two seasons to help out the current roster before the 2023 Free Agency on both sides of the ball.
With that said, let us dive into some of the available talent pools the Edmonton Elks should consider for the 2023 CFL Draft.
Phillip Grohovac, Offensive Lineman, University of Western Ontario, Victoria, British Columbia.
Photo via NFL Draft Diamonds
The one thing that will help out the Edmonton Elks for 2023 is adding to the Offensive Line. It is without a doubt, the most rigorous position to play in pro football. Loading up on Offensive Lineman is only a bonus for your roster. No other team had suffered the injury bug more in 2022 than the Edmonton Elks. Philip Grohovac will bolster an Offensive Line that can use depth.
At 6′-5″ and 305lbs, he has been an integral part of the Western Mustangs running game. For a school that prides itself on pounding the ball on its opponents, Edmonton has to establish the running game consistently to have success in 2023. Philip Grohovac could be the answer that the Elks are looking for. He brings a lot of nastiness to the line of scrimmage.
Dontae Bull, Offensive Lineman, Fresno State, Victoria, British Columbia
Photo via 247 Sports
In continuing the trend of protecting your assets, then look no further than Left Tackle / Right Rackle Dontae Bull. He will be versatile on the line of scrimmage which will be beneficial for the Edmonton Elks.
At 6′-7″ and 320lbs, he is a monster on the field. He will be another important piece for the Elks in both the passing and running game.
Although he did suffer a season-ending injury in 2022, and only appeared in 7 games, Dontae Bull had an impressive 2021 season in contributing to the Fresno State offence. During the 2022 season, the Bulldogs were the top offence in the Mountain West Conference, and 14th overall in the Football Sub Division.
Jake Taylor, Linebacker and Defensive Back, University of Alberta, Beaumont, Alberta
Photo via University of Alberta Golden Bears
The Elks could also take Jake Taylor as a territorial pick during the 2023 Draft. In 21 games played for the Alberta Golden Bears, he has hit a lot of strides in developing his craft. He completed his career with the Golden Bears with 60 solo tackles, and 17 assisted tackles, for a total of 77 tackles.
He still might be a work in progress, but he makes it up in a lot of ways. For one, he has a knack for the ball in playing a tight zone on receivers. This will eventually help ou the Elks in the takeaway department for a team that has to start winning the turnover ratio, rather than being a statistic of the opposite end.
Daniel Perry, Wide Receiver, University of Saskatchewan, Calgary, Alberta
Photo via University of Saskatchewan Huskies
A hidden gem that might be selected between the 4th and 5th rounds, Daniel Perry had had 2 back-to-back outstanding seasons. Being from Calgary, Alberta, he could be selected by the Provincial Rivals as a territorial pick. If available, he would be a good fit on the Elks’ offence.
In 38 games played, Daniel Perry has totalled 113 receptions, and 1,698 receiving yards, for a total of 8 touchdowns. Mind you that he was seldom used in his first couple of years with the Saskatchewan Huskies. His production in the last two seasons had most likely increased his draft stock as of now.
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