It was a memorable day for Bison football at the CFL's Western Regional Combine this past Monday. Receiver Shai Ross and defensive lineman Tariq Lachance both impressed scouts enough to earn two of the three available spots to the CFL's National Combine taking place later this month, from March 22-24 in Toronto.
Ross was nothing short of spectacular, putting up the best numbers in four of the six testing categories: vertical jump (37.5 inches), broad jump (11'3.00"), three-cone (6.87 seconds) and short shuttle (4.17 seconds). He was also second in the 40-yard dash with a time of 4.65 seconds, right behind teammate and fellow receiver Jesse Walker (4.63), who also had the second-best broad jump (10'2.75") and short shuttle (4.19 seconds).
Ross's ascent is quite impressive, considering the fact he didn't put on the pads for the first time until his senior year at Dakota High School. He then played a season with the St. Vital Mustangs major junior team in 2014, earning all-star status.
From there, he began to train with Recruit Ready — a premier football training program in the city that just so happened to have Bison alumni and current coaches Blaire Atkinson and Will Sheils as part of its staff.
Ross's hard work with Recruit Ready didn't go unnoticed, with Atkinson giving him a nod to the Bisons' spring camp in 2015. He earned himself a place on the team with his performance but chose to spend the 2015 season with the British Columbia Football Conference's Okanagan Sun instead.
The year went well. Okanagan finished 12-0, won the conference title, and advanced all the way to the Canadian Junior Football League's (CJFL) national title game. Individually, Ross had a reception in every contest and also doubled as one of the team's kick returners.
But arguably the biggest moment of the 2015 season came when Ross's daughter was born. Funny enough, the team was in the middle of preparing for the national title game when his girlfriend went into labour.
"As soon as I got the call, I actually flew back on the spot. As soon as I got to the hospital, an hour later, my daughter was born, so that was pretty special," he said during training camp with Manitoba in 2017.
"I got to spend probably three to four days with her, and I didn't leave her side for the whole time. Then I had to go back to BC to finish and play in the national championship."
Ross's hard work in B.C. paid off, as he made the Bisons' 2016 roster. But the team had recruited a handful of other junior football talent, and he wasn't expected to be a game-changer by any means. Yet again, he let his play do the talking, finishing as Manitoba's second leading receiver with 515 yards while also earning a conference all-star nod as a kick returner.
He's been just as consistent over the past two years, recording 619 yards and six touchdowns. His numbers are even more impressive considering the fact that he wasn't 100 percent healthy, yet still remained a massive part of Manitoba's offence.
Lachance had a solid testing day as well, finishing just behind Ross and Walker with a broad jump of 9'9.75". The 6'2", 260-pounder's three cone time of 7.72 seconds was also second among defensive lineman, as was his shuttle (4.66 seconds) and his 40-yard dash (5.08 seconds). His vertical of 30 inches was also third among defensive lineman.
The product of Vincent Massey Collegiate brings plenty of versatility to the table, as he's also played fullback in the past and is a difference-maker on special teams.
He played three seasons with the Winnipeg Rifles of the CJFL, including being invited to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers' rookie camp in 2014. Lachance then spent 2014 and 2015 with the Calgary Colts where he tallied 27 tackles, two-and-a-half sacks and three fumble recoveries.
The following year he made his debut with the Bisons, contributing a sack and two forced fumbles.
There were five other Bisons at the western regional, as defensive end Derek Dufault, offensive lineman Reid McMorris, receivers Trysten Dyce and Dylan Schrot and All-Canadian kicker/punter Brad Mikoluff all strutted their stuff.
Additional highlights include Dufault's 21 reps on the bench, which tied him for third. McMorris's 20 reps also earned him fifth overall. Schrot had a solid day as well, with his best testing score coming on a vertical jump of 32 inches, good for fifth overall.
All of Manitoba's draft eligible players will now wait patiently for the CFL draft, which takes place on May 2.
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