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TORONTO — Oklahoma defensive lineman Neville Gallimore and Notre Dame receiver Chase Claypool — both blue-chip prospects for this week’s NFL draft — top the final CFL scouting bureau top-20 list.
The CFL scouting bureau consists of scouts, player-personnel directors and GMs from the league’s nine teams. It releases its rankings three times annually in September, December and April leading up to the league’s annual draft.
The 2020 CFL draft will be held April 30.
Gallimore and Claypool have been ranked 1-2 in all three editions. But both are expected to be selected in this week’s NFL draft, which runs Thursday through Saturday.
Gallimore, of Ottawa, had 30 tackles, four sacks and 7.5 tackles for a loss last season. He appeared in 52 games — 38 as a starter — with the Sooners, registering 148 tackles, 18 tackles for a loss, nine sacks and five forced fumbles.
Claypool was Notre Dame’s leading receiver with 66 catches for 1,037 yards and 13 TDs. The native of Abbotsford, B.C., finished with 150 receptions for 2,159 yards and 19 touchdowns with the Irish, finishing his collegiate career as the Camping World Bowl MVP after recording seven catches for 146 yards and a touchdown.
Alberta offensive lineman Carter O’Donnell moved up one spot to No. 3 overall. The six-foot-six, 300-pound native of Red Deer, Alta., was a U SPORT first-team All-Canadian and was invited to the East-West Shrine Bowl in Florida.
Montreal native Tomas Jack-Kurdyla, an offensive lineman at the University of Buffalo, also went up a spot to No. 4 overall. The six-foot-four, 300-pound Jack Kurdyla appeared in 11 games this season as Buffalo ran for school-record 3,256 yards (296 per game) while allowing a program-low eight sacks.
Virginia receiver Dejon Brissett, of Mississauga, Ont., moved up two spots to No. 5. He appeared in 12 games with the Cavaliers this season after transferring from Richmond. In 33 career games at Richmond, Brissett had 86 receptions for 1,282 yards and nine touchdowns.
The remainder of the top-10, in order, included: Brown defensive lineman Michael Hoecht (Oakville, Ont); Ohio quarterback Nathan Rourke (Oakville); East Carolina linebacker Jordan Williams (Louisville, Ky.); Montreal defensive back Marc-Antoine Dequoy (Ile-Bizard, Que.); and North Dakota defensive lineman Mason Bennett (Winnipeg).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 20, 2020.
The Canadian Press
