Dell, Anthony drafted to the CFL

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(Photo by Kate Turner)
Issac Dell was drafted to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Photo by Kate Turner)

When May 6โ€™s CFL Draft rolled around, Wilfrid Laurier University prospects Isaac Dell and Alex Anthony were in the comfort of their hometowns, surrounded by family and friends.ย  It had been a long-time coming since Dell and Anthony stepped on the field at TD Waterhouse Stadium in London for the East West Bowl last year, an opportunity for CFL scouts to see the up-and-coming prospects. Since then, phone calls poured in from different teams with questions and potential interest.

But when full back Dell saw his name pop up 37th overall to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and receiver Anthony was drafted two picks later to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, it didnโ€™t seem real.

โ€œHonestly, it hasnโ€™t completely sunk in yet,โ€ Anthony said from his home in Victoria, B.C. โ€œIt still seems pretty surreal, but I know once I go to Saskatchewan at the end of the month itโ€™ll all feel real and everythingโ€™s just exciting right now. Iโ€™m just so excited to see what happens.โ€

โ€œI donโ€™t know at what point it will [set in], probably at training camp,โ€ Dell said from Niagara Falls, Ont. โ€œIt is exciting, but hasnโ€™t quite hit home yet.โ€

In the fifth round of Mondayโ€™s draft, Dell was selected first by the Tiger-Cats. 30 seconds after his name was called, the Roughriders selected Waterloo Warriorโ€™s offensive lineman Matt Vonk. Following Vonk, the Roughriders also selected Anthony.

(Photo by Nick Lachance)
Alex Anthony was drafted to the Saskatchewan Roughridersย  (Photo by Nick Lachance)

โ€œI think itโ€™s going to be pretty cool because Hamilton is in such a transition,โ€ Dell said. โ€œItโ€™s going to be a familiar area but a new experience at the same time. And next year when the stadiumโ€™s done, hopefully Iโ€™m still on the team and itโ€™s going to be a new program, brand new head coach, and Iโ€™m really excited to be part of that transition.โ€

Laurier head coach Michael Faulds also expressed his congratulations for his veteran players.

โ€œFirst off, Iโ€™m definitely happy for both of them,โ€ he said. โ€œI know theyโ€™ve worked extremely hard over their four-year career at Laurier and all of the hard extra sessions in the weight room and spring training and all of that has definitely paid off.โ€

Faulds said he texted both Anthony and Dell the morning of the draft wishing them luck and kept track of where his players ended up.

โ€œI know they were glued to their TV screens anxiously waiting for their names to be called,โ€ he laughed.

According to Anthony, each player signs a contract to be eligible to participate at the camp, at which time one of three things can happen.

โ€œYou can make the final roster at the end of training camp and they honour that contract, or they can ask you to stay on the practice roster, so you practice everyday with the team but you donโ€™t play,โ€ Anthony explained.

โ€œOr they can release you and send you back for your fifth year of university and own your rights so you come back the following year.โ€

Both Dell and Anthony said they are unsure of what they will do if they are released, but are keeping an open mind to returning to Laurier if the situation calls for it.

โ€œItโ€™s a tough question to answer, because it depends on so many variables,โ€ Dell said. โ€œI think having that fifth year of eligibility and the fact that I still have to finish up a few classes, I think Iโ€™d be pretty likely to come back. That being said, you can kind of finish school whenever, you canโ€™t necessarily play football for too long.

โ€œI think Iโ€™d be more likely to come back, but itโ€™s not a definite yes.โ€

โ€œItโ€™d be nice to come back and use my last year of eligibility, so I kind of just have to see what happens with training camp. The goal right now is to make that final 43-man roster at the end of camp,โ€ Anthony echoed.

As for Faulds, he said heโ€™d welcome both veterans back with open arms.

โ€œAs a coach, you wish the best that they get drafted and do really well, but selfishly you want them back,โ€ he said.

โ€œNot only what they do on the field, but theyโ€™re natural leaders. Especially since my transition in January, theyโ€™ve made my job a lot easier with how respectful they are and they listen to everything I say, theyโ€™ve led their younger teammates.

โ€œTwo very positive guys, and if they donโ€™t quite make the cut, weโ€™ll definitely be happy to have them back.โ€


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