Parker, Coehoorn Lead Big Draft Class for Calgary Dinos (video 4x)

CALGARY – A day they had long awaited finally came – and after some nervous anticipation, all six University of Calgary Dinos football players on the board were selected in the Canadian Football League’s 2011 Canadian Draft Sunday.

Led by slotback Anthony Parker, who went No. 3 overall to the hometown Calgary Stampeders, the Dinos had the biggest draft day of any CIS team and sent six of the eight Canada West players who were drafted on the day. It was arguably the best draft in Dinos history, comparable to the 1986 affair when eight players were drafted by CFL teams, including No. 1 overall selection Kent Warnock. But while the 1986 draft featured eight rounds, the 2011 edition has just six.

Dinos head coach Blake Nill, who recruited all six players as part of a memorable 2007 recruiting class at the University of Calgary, was pleased to see his players’ work pay off.

“The key thing for me is that these are all Alberta kids that were drafted today,” said Nill, who was part of TSN’s live draft coverage Sunday. “It’s an indication of the type of talent the athletes in this province have, the work that all of their coaches through the years have put in, and it really reflects well on our Dinos program too. I truly believe we have one of the best coaching staffs in CIS football, and I’m always getting complements about the conditioning of our players. That’s a testament to our strength coaches, and kudos to guys like (Dinos offensive line coach) Rohn Meyer, who had three more offensive linemen drafted today.”

The Dinos’ two speedy receivers, Parker and Nathan Coehoorn, both went in the top five picks in the first round. Drafted third overall, Parker is the highest draftee for the Dinos since 1997 when Ben Fairbrother was selected second overall by Saskatchewan, while Coehoorn went two picks later to the Edmonton Eskimos.

“Red is my favourite colour,” Parker laughed, “so it’s great to be able to put that back on. I’m very excited to be picked by Calgary. It’s awesome that I can literally walk down the hallway and be at my new home. I have some history in this stadium, and it’s going to be fun to extend that. The Dinos have created a fantastic opportunity for me here, and it’s going to be great not only to play in the same stadium, but to be able to still catch some CIS games here.”

“Calgary will be a really good fit for Anthony,” said Nill. “I’m very confident in Coach Hufnagel’s structure, and this is the kind of organization where he will really be able to thrive.”

Okotoks, Alta. native Parker follows in the footsteps of his father and uncle, both of whom also suited up for the Stampeders.

While Parker was meeting the media down at the south end of McMahon Stadium, in the Dinos’ clubhouse the Coehoorn clan was celebrating. A physical wide receiver, Coehoorn was selected fifth overall by the Edmonton Eskimos and will now face off against Parker in the Battle of Alberta.

“It was getting pretty stressful there, but I’m happy to be an Eskimo,” said the Redcliff, Alta. native. “It has been a lot of hard work, dedication, and sacrifice to get to this point, but I’m pretty pumped now. It was awesome to have my whole family here, this is a day I’ve been dreaming about for a long time.

“It’ll be interesting lining up against Anthony in our first pre-season game!”

“We knew we’d be facing off at some point, and what better place for him to go than Edmonton?” Parker said. “I’ll see him on Labour Day!”

Coehoorn holds the distinction of being the 100th Dino in program history to be drafted into the CFL.

The fourth round saw a trio of Calgary’s vaunted offensive linemen selected in rapid succession. Left tackle Paul Swiston was taken by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 24th overall, followed three picks later by centre Alex Krausnick-Groh, who went to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Right guard Reed Alexander wrapped up the fourth round with his selection by the Montreal Alouettes.

“I’m really excited to see where I could fit in there (in Winnipeg),” said Swiston, who graduated from Calgary’s Dr. E.P. Scarlett High School. “It’s good to finally go, sure brings the heart rate down a little! And my whole mom’s family lives there, so it’s going to be a good fit.

“Man, I’m so excited right now,” Cochrane High’s Krausnick-Groh said upon learning of his selection by the Saskatchewan Roughriders. “I didn’t ever think this day would come. It was good to see our guys go, but I’ve just been nervous and I’m just really excited now that it’s here.”

Running back Matt Walter out of Bishop O’Byrne High School sat on pins and needles all day waiting for his name to be called. Despite being ranked No. 14 by the CFL’s central scouting staff leading up to the draft, Walter’s name still hadn’t been called as the fifth round got underway – likely because of his decision to return to the Dinos for the 2011 season to finish his degree, a decision he made public last week.

So when his name popped up as the Calgary Stampeders’ fifth round selection, 34th overall, Walter was visibly relieved and thrilled to head down the hall to rejoin his current and future teammate, Anthony Parker.

“I honestly had no idea what to expect coming in, and as time passed I started to think that my chances were running slim,” said Walter. “It’s an amazing feeling, and I think the Stampeders made an awesome decision.

“It’s a big trip, you know – I probably should have booked a flight to travel 400 metres,” laughed Walter as he made the trek to the Stampeders’ end of McMahon Stadium. “It’ll be great to be back with Anthony, but also to be behind guys like Joffrey Reynolds and Jon Cornish is going to be an awesome experience.”

“Matt will play in the CFL if he wants to, I’m sure of that,” said Nill. “But he is choosing to come back, play one more year for us, and finish his degree – and I applaud that decision.”

Already the Dinos’ all-time touchdowns leader, Walter is likely to become Calgary’s all-time leading rusher in 2011, entering his fifth season with 3,472 yards – just 312 back of Elio Geremia’s (1983-87) record of 3,784.

Since 1970, 104 Dinos football players have been drafted by CFL teams. The Stampeders continue to lead the way with 48 of those picks, followed by Edmonton (15), Toronto (10), Winnipeg (9), Saskatchewan (7), B.C. (5), Montreal (5), Hamilton (3), and Ottawa (2).

Ben Matchett

Sports Information Director