CFL Draft 2013 Preview: Hamilton TiCats

Picks: 7 picks, first pick 1^st overall (for the 4^th time in the past 7 years)

2012 Draft Highlight: Drafted well in my opinion

2012 Draft Lowlight: No one reported. Of their 5 picks in the first 3 rounds, 2 were red shirt juniors and 3 opted to return to a 5^th year. Future looks bright but present is a whole lot of nothing.

Potential Pipeline: OL Moe Petrus (Tampa Bay), LB Frederic Plesius (college), DL Arnaud Nadon-Gascon (college), DL Hasan Hazime (college), DB Courtney Stephan (college), DL Michael Atkinson (college)

Needs: If their 2012 picks actually reports this year, Hamilton will be in a great drafting position because that will address their current needs. It would also allow them to draft a few more red-shirt juniors and start stocking up for next year. Their defense was beyond abysmal so it would stand to reason that that’s where they will focus. Their Cdn depth at DL, LB and DB is next to non-existent so any defender drafted would fill a need. 

Prediction: With Eric Tillman in the background providing advice you can count on a few draft day trades. That said, I expect the Ti-cats to hold onto the #1 pick and use it on a relatively safe option like Gaydosh. As previously mentioned this will be the Cats’ 4^th first overall pick in 7 years and they still don’t have a solitary rock solid Canadian to show for it: Bauman was the product of a terrible draft class where anyone taken at #1 wouldn’t have really been worth it; Barker was a great pick but injuries derailed a very promising career very early; Rottier was another good pick but he bolted for Edmonton the first chance he got. The Cats need something to show for the #1 and for that reason will likely shy away from risky options.