By Dashawn Stephens
When you’re more than a week removed from an event, you have the opportunity to look at it with clear hindsight. Time allows you to gather your thoughts, review details, and ultimately identify realities that may have never been apparent to you, either in the moment, or in the following days.
This year’s CFL National Combine was important for many reasons. For starters, it was the largest National Combine in league history - thanks in part to the immense amount of draft deferrals in 2021. However, something that’s noteworthy is that it was also the first time, in recent memory at least, that you began to see a decrease in the correlation between testing and on-field performance.
Usually, the players who jump the highest verticals, run the fastest forties, and bench the most reps, go on to dominate in drills and one-on-ones, fuelling the long-standing myth that great testing makes a great football player.
Not this year, though.
We’re looking at four CFL National Combine prospects who proved testing shouldn’t be seen as everything.
1. Jalen and Tyson Philpot
Position: Receivers
School: Calgary
A lot of eyes were on the Philpots at this year’s National Combine. The Delta, B.C. natives were both listed among the top ten - Jalen at two, Tyson at five - on the CFL Winter Scouting Bureau Rankings. So, after a spectacular 2021 season that saw both brothers take home All-Canadian honours, along with Tyson being named Canada West Player of the Year, it’s no surprise that scouts were plugged in throughout all of their testing.
From a testing standpoint, neither brother put up crazy numbers. Tyson recorded five reps on the bench press, jumped a 30” vertical, and had a 9’5” broad jump.
Jalen, on the other hand, recorded eerily similar numbers to his brother, putting up eight reps on the bench, jumping a 30.5'“ vertical, and recording a 9’4” broad jump.
As you can imagine, not traditionally the fanciest results for two receivers. But, when those pads went on, you couldn’t care less about their testing numbers.
As Jalen and Tyson made their way through drills, catching balls and making cuts, you began to get a sense of why they’ve been such dominant receivers throughout their careers. There’s a sense of fluidity to their movements that almost make it seem like they’re going through the motions with ease.
Once one-on-ones began, that fluidity was on full display in addition to their natural athleticism. Make no mistake, the Philpots were literally born to play the receiver position.
No, they didn’t catch every pass - very few ever do - but, it was clear to anyone watching that both Jalen and Tyson Philpot posses a play-style that will transition smoothly to the next level no matter how much they bench, or how high they can jump.
2. Gordon Lam
Position: Receiver
School: Waterloo
To many, Gordon Lam entered this year’s National Combine as the third ranked receiver - after the Philpots. After a career at Waterloo that saw him become a three-time All-Star, one-time All-Canadian, and the school’s all-time leader in receptions, many were intrigued to see how Lam would fair in a combine setting.
Like everyone on this list, Lam’s numbers won’t necessarily jump off the page. Only four reps on the bench press, a 29” vertical, an 8’11” broad jump, and a 4.97 forty. But, when it came time to touch the field, Lam was undefeated - literally, he didn’t lose a single rep.
Not only was he one of the most polished receivers at the combine, Lam was one of the most polished skill position players overall. He has amazing body control that is rare to find in any athlete, and it shows through his route running.
In just the four reps he received, you could tell that Lam is a true technician of his craft. Perfecting routes down to angles and timing, he caught every ball that was thrown his way and created five or more yards of separation on three of his reps (reminder: 4.97 forty), even dropping one of his defenders in the process.
No, he didn’t jump the highest vertical, bench the most reps, or run the fastest forty. But, it would be absolute blasphemy to overlook someone with Gordon Lam’s talent simply because he doesn’t possess features that can be unlocked through consistent work within a rigorous strength program with world-class trainers - something every team has access to.
3. Ryth-Jean Giraud
Position: Running Back
School: Montréal
Ryth-Jean Giraud was a player that we highlighted in our Eastern Regional Combine watchlist back in early-March, and quite frankly, he was the first player to prove that testing might not be everything during 2022 CFL Combine season.
If you look at Giraud’s Eastern Regional Combine numbers, he didn’t finish among the top five in any testing category. In fact, Giraud barley finished among the top ten in only two testing categories - tenth in the shuttle, eighth in the three-cone.
Yet, when it came time to decide who should earn a ticket to the National combine, Giraud stood out as a no brainer for scouts due to his ability to be a great route runner out of the backfield, and an exceptional blocker.
At a National Combine that featured big names at the running back position, Giraud’s testing numbers generally fall towards the bottom half of the pack. 14 reps on the bench, 4.8 forty, 29” vertical, and a 9’2” broad jump.
But, like everyone else on this list, Giraud’s testing numbers became overshadowed by his on-field talent. In blocking drills, he had highlight reps against the likes of Enoch Penney-Laryea, Nate Edwards, Jared Beeksma, and Ryder Varga. In one-on-ones, Giraud continued to standout, creating separation from linebackers on his routes, while hauling in passes. With every play that passed, scouts became more enamoured with the Laval, QC native, even calling his number numerous times during the callout session to see how he matched up against Tyrell Richards - the widely presumed top pick in this years draft.
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