6/15/2009 9:16:22 PM
Speed…speed…and more speed.

It was clear to me on day one upon arriving at training camp this year, that head scout Ed Hervey, Paul Jones, Danny Maciocia and the Eskimo brass were thinking of upgrading our overall team speed in 2009. I’d have to say that the mission was accomplished. If last year the first thing that I noticed was the size of many new players at various positions, this year the speed is the first thing that jumps out at me. I’m already on record as being a fan of quite a few of the offseason moves that materialized and brought some of the players that we have in camp to us. Lumsden, Malveaux, Lloyd, Jones, Ellis and Gordon’s of our team I can see playing very big roles on this team. While those may have been locks to help us, guys like Bell, Koch, Nugent, Amos, and the return of McGrath will pay out dividends for this team as well.

We’ve been blessed so far this season in the way of injuries as we haven’t encountered too many serious ones. (knock on wood) I definitely feel for Adam Braidwood as he recently got word that he was misdiagnosed in his knee procedure and will have to undergo another surgery to repair damage that was previously done. To his credit, he’s handling that situation much better than I think that I could. Aside from Williams, Robinson, and Cooper which all seem to be temporary nicks and bruises, we’ve been fortunate thus far.
Naturally the position that I play gives me a birds eye view into the receivers and defensive backs, and while they’ve been quite impressive, I’ll gladly lend some insight into some of the some of the new faces that I’ll be watching anxiously to see how they perform with the lights on this Wednesday. I have a strong feeling that we’ll find 7-9 players from this rookie class that will help us greatly this year:

Receivers –

Barnes #81; Brother of NBA player Matt Barnes, Jason has shown himself to be athletic and tremendously versatile.
Thornton #70 – Kelly Campbell’s clone has shown explosion and savvy in his route running.
Turner #82 – Much like Barnes Allen Turner has used his time wisely in camp and picked up some of the subtle nuances of the game. Speed and athleticism play in his favor.
Hill #80 – Efrem can flat out run with the best of them, and will be looking to capitalize on missed time out early in camp.
Rector #85 – Jamaica is technically a rookie but I doubt he’ll perform like one at any time this year. If Fred Stamps was my sleeper last year, Jamaica is definitely this year’s. This time next year, his name will be a known commodity.
Wuthrich #73 – Kevin AKA “Cash” is our homegrown Wildcat talent from right here in Sherwood Park. I train with Cash in the offseason so I have a vested interest in him doing well.

DB’s –

Keyes #35; Athleticism at it’s best, I’ll be surprised if Bobby doesn’t rise to the occasion.
Herron #39 – Seldom do young players come in and learn the Sam linebacker position quick enough to raise eyebrows.
Okpro #10 – Made tremendous strides since last year.

LB’s –

Davis # 40; A legend in the south, I’ve gotta see how his experience and pedigree translate this far north.
Abanikanda #55 – Very polished for a rookie LB. Anxious to see him in action.
Restelli #44 – Athletically he’ll be one of the most gifted players on the field. Green at the position, I’ll be watching to see him make the transition.

DL –

Peach #90; Massive numbers in college, and has our O-line whispering. Let’s see how Sask handles him.
Jackson #92 – Aggressive pass rusher with a mean streak.

OL –

Koch #51; Winnipeg transfer who’s impressed thus far.
Davis # 65 – Quite possibly the longest arms I’ve seen on a human. Once he locks them out…

RB’s –

McCarty #31; Offseason speed work, combined with fantastic hands has Calvin looking like a bona-fide starter.
Whitlock #36 – Low center of gravity + great balance = success on grass.

QB’s –

Zabransky #5; Very mobile, proven winner.
Ricard #14 – Good understanding of the system, cannon for an arm.

Should get interesting, happy hunting fellas!©

Kp8