After a season of setbacks, University of Windsor Lancers defensive back Josh Burns is hoping for a breakthrough in Tuesday’s Canadian Football League Draft.
The 21-year-old Burns was rated among the top 15 prospects by the CFL scouting bureau in September, but his stock quickly dropped after he suffered a collapsed lung in Windsor’s second game of the OUA season.
“I was riding a real high coming into camp,” said Burns, who is a Villanova high school product. “I was feeling good and playing good and a top 15 prospect and then it kind of all went downhill.”
The injury forced him to miss five games and even when he returned he wasn’t the same player.
“I didn’t get to showcase myself,” Burns said. “It was supposed to be six-to-eight weeks recovery. I missed five (games), but even when I got back, I can admit, I wasn’t myself.
“I went six weeks of literally not doing anything and then jumped into a couple of games, which probably wasn’t the smartest thing. I wanted to play, but I wasn’t the same player as Week 1 or 2.”
He spent months working his way back into shape after the season ended and at least earned a spot to the CFL’s Toronto regional combine with the hopes of earning a spot the CFL’s main evaluation camp.
Of the six drills, he had the fastest shuttle drill time (4.149 seconds) and also the best vertical leap (39 inches) while finishing second in the 40-yard dash (4.567) and fifth in the broad jump (nine feet and 11 inches), but didn’t get an invite to the main camp.
“Some CFL scouts were upset he wasn’t invited to the e-camp,” Lancers head coach Joe D’Amore said. “He was high on the radar, but the injuries hurt him without being able to get a lot of film.”
While he was disappointed with not getting an invite to the main camp, the six-foot, 185-pound Burns got encouraging words from some scout and was happy with his results.
“For some reason, it fell through, but I talked to a couple of scouts and they to keep my head up and that I was doing well,” Burns said. “I was upset I wasn’t there, but happy with the numbers. I’m back to where I was, if not better.”
D’Amore thinks this could be a solid draft for the Lancers. Receiver Evan Pszczonak is ranked No. 24 on the list and is considered the No. 3 rated player at his position. Burns also made the list at No. 41 and is considered the No. 7 rated defensive back for the draft.
Lancers defensive linemen Stephon Miller did not make the top 50 list, but is rated as the No. 8 defensive end available for the draft. D’Amore feels Kyle Tyo could go as a long snapper while all-star quarterback Austin Kennedy can only hope someone will give him a chance.
“I’m just ready to see how it plays out and what the next step is,” Burns said. “I’m approaching it that it doesn’t matter if you’re first overall, last overall or not picked as long as end up in a training camp.
“At the end of a day, you want to make a team. Just because you’re taken early, it doesn’t mean you have a spot. You have to earn. It would be cool to be drafted, but in the end I want to be in training camp.”
WHAT: Canadian Football League Draft
WHEN: Tuesday starting at 7 p.m.
ROUND: Seven rounds and 65 total selections
DRAFT ORDER: 1. Ottawa, 2. Winnipeg, 3. Edmonton, 4. Montreal, 5. British Columbia, 6. Toronto, 7. Calgary, 8. Saskatchewan (from Hamilton) and 9. Hamilton (from Saskatchewan).
NOTE: Expansion Ottawa will get two extra picks in the seventh round at the end of the draft.
TV: TSN will carry the first round with an hour of coverage starting at 7 p.m.
Comments are closed.