By Dashawn Stephens
Often the second most anticipated event during combine season, the CFL Ontario Regional Combine never fails to disappoint. With Ontario being home to 11 of U SPORTS’ 27 programs, the Ontario Regional always plays host to a handful of the country’s top athletes, and this year is no different.
We’re dropping 4 players who you should be looking out for at the CFL Ontario Regional Combine.
1. Enoch Penney-Laryea
Position: Defensive Lineman
School: McMaster
McMaster’s Enoch Penney-Laryea is one of the most athletic, and underrated, defensive lineman in the OUA. The fifth year Humanities major had a solid season in 2021, racking up 19.5 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and a tipped pass for the Marauders. At 6’1, 230Ibs, Penney-Laryea’s speed, agility and quickness make him a headache for offensive lineman.
If there is one play that could sum up how exciting of a prospect Penney-Laryea could be for CFL teams, it would be his chase down pursuit of 2021 Hec-Crighton Award Winner Tre Ford in McMaster’s week 3 victory over Waterloo - a win in which he was a heavy contributor towards. The sheer sight of Penney-Laryea keeping up with the mobile quarterback, stride for stride, while being able to finish the play in the backfield, was a dark horse candidate for defensive play of the year in the eyes of many.
An immense amount of attention will be on Penney-Laryea’s 3-cone, shuttle, and 40-yard dash times. If he’s able to record good times, while showing out in 1-on-1’s, don’t be surprised if he catches an invite to a CFL National Combine that currently has a fairly small roster of defensive lineman (7) in comparison to offensive lineman (10).
2. Justice Allin
Position: Running Back
School: McMaster
With only three running backs at the National Combine, it’s quite hard to comprehend how Justice Allin didn’t catch an invite. Nonetheless, it’s widely known that Allin has been one of the OUA’s top ball-carriers since his rookie year in 2017. To take things one step further, it’s also widely know that Allin has been the OUA’s top feature-back since his rookie year in 2017.
Despite being solid, his career numbers don’t do him justice - no pun intended. In a career that’s been impacted by injury to some degree, Allin has produced 1,006 rushing yards, 667 receiving yards, 1,084 return yards, and 10 total touchdowns. As expandable as they come, Allin can line up in the backfield, run routes out of the slot, sit back to return kicks, pass protect, block down field, and pull off the occasional hurdle - something he’s earned a reputation for. As a ball-carrier he’s shifty and elusive, breaking tackles often, and managing to fight through first contact. As a receiver, he’s a threat after the catch, and would be a welcomed addition to a CFL team that uses the pass as an extension of the run.
3. Jared Beeksma
Position: Linebacker
School: Guelph
If you’re familiar with Jared Beeksma’s career, it’s quite hard not to envision the Guelph linebacker suiting up in the CFL someday. In 2021, Beeksma led the OUA’s most consistent defence alongside conference Defensive Player of the Year A.J. Allen. Finishing fourth in the OUA in total tackles (38.5), Beeksma also recorded two sacks along with averaging 6.4 tackles per game.
Like his teammate Allen, Beeksma is a disruptive linebacker. With a 6’2, 220Ib frame, he’s shown he can contribute to stopping the run, and his two pass breakups and one interception in 2021 show that he also has the ability to drop back into coverage and stop the pass. More importantly, though, Beeksma’s disruptive nature makes him a versatile player that can easily be plugged in anywhere on special teams.
5. Barnaba Niel
Position: Receiver
School: Waterloo
Barnaba Niel has been a consistent starter on Waterloo’s receiving corp for the better part of the last four seasons. The Warriors offence has risen to superstardom in his time with the program, but through playing alongside the likes of Tre Ford, Tyler Ternowski, and Gordon Lam, it’s understandable why Niel hasn’t exactly become a household name as of yet. Regardless, he still enters this year’s Ontario Regional combine as one of the top receiver prospects in the OUA.
In every sport, when draft season arrives, scouts will tell you that skills normally serve as the lead indicator for who to pick. But, what most scouts won’t tell you is that another lead indicator are body tangibles. This is because, unlike skills, body tangibles can’t be taught. You can’t teach height, wingspan, reach, or size. And in the occasional circumstance that skills cross paths with eye-opening body tangibles, the end result is a prospect that team have a hard time passing up on.
What makes Niel a must-watch prospect are his body tangibles. At 6’5, 220Ibs, he possesses a pro-style body that is simply rare to find in a Canadian receiver. Already drawing comparisons to former York tight end Nikola Kalinic - who recently signed with the Indianapolis Colts after spending several success seasons with Hamilton - Niel has proven he can do everything from running routes and catching touchdowns, to being effective on special teams, to becoming a key blocker in Waterloo’s run game. If Niel can continue to showcase his already-proven skills at the combine, there’s no reason why he wouldn’t be seen as a valued commodity by CFL scouts.
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