EDMONTON – Manitoba Bisons defensive lineman
Brock Gowanlock has ranked as the third-best Canada West prospect after the conference released their top 12 prospects ahead of tomorrow evening's Canadian Football League Draft.
The rankings, determined by the six Canada West head coaches, have the four-year Bison as the highest-rated draft eligible defensive player in the conference.
At 6'3" and 230 pounds, Gowanlock recorded 40 tackles, three tackles for a loss, and one-and-a-half sacks in nine games last year. The Duncan, BC native recorded at least 40 tackles in his last three seasons, including a career-high nine tackles on October 4, 2019 at Saskatchewan.
Bisons receiver
Macho Bockru (sixth) and offensive lineman
Ryan Wengelinski (11th) also cracked the final CW top prospects list.
Bockru was one of Canada West's top receivers in 2019 with 590 receiving yards on 41 catches. The fourth-year receiver added six touchdowns including 7 catches, 97 yards, and one touchdown in the Hardy Cup Semifinal. The 6'2" 195 pounds pass-catcher was also named a Canada West All-Star.
Wengelinski, a 6'4 335 lbs. local recruit, played five seasons with the Bisons. He moved to centre in 2019, starting all nine games there last season after playing right tackle in years prior.
Wednesday's rankings mark the second consecutive year that three Bisons ranked as CW top prospects. Zack Williams (first), Jamal Lyles (fourth) and Shai Ross (eighth) all made 2019's list before being drafted to the CFL later in the week.
Williams went 28th overall to the Calgary Stampeders, Ross 40th to the Edmonton Eskimos, and Lyles 69th to the B.C. Lions. All saw playing time in their rookie years, Lyles recording 96 yards on 14 touches with B.C.
Alberta Golden Bears offensive lineman and current Indianapolis Colt Carter O'Donnell unanimously ranked at number one on this year's list after Williams held the throne in 2019.
A total of 18 Canada West were selected in the last year's CFL Draft. Current Toronto Argonauts quarterback and former UBC Thunderbird Michael O'Connor went the highest at 20th overall.
The 2020 CFL Draft is tomorrow and can be seen live on TSN, TSN.ca and TSN Direct (5 p.m. PDT / 6 p.m. MDT / 7 p.m. CDT). CFL.ca will pick up the remainder of the draft at 9 p.m. CDT.
2020 Canada West CFL Prospect Rankings
Position - Name / Team / Points (First-place votes)
- OL - Carter O'Donnell / Alberta - 5 (unanimous)
- OL - Mattland Riley / Saskatchewan - 10
- DL - Brock Gowanlock / Manitoba - 21
- DL - Nicholas Dheilly / Saskatchewan - 24
- OL - Nicholas Summach / Saskatchewan - 28
- REC - Macho Bockru / Manitoba - 39
- REC - Colton Klassen / Saskatchewan - 39
- OL - Theren Churchill / Regina - 39
- LB - Aaron Chabaylo / Alberta - 39
- OL - Andrew Becker / Regina - 40
- OL - Ryan Wengelinski / Manitoba - 44
- OL - Spencer Roy / Calgary – 56
NOTE: First-place votes were worth 1-point, second-place 2 points etc. Ties were broken by the greater number of higher-placed votes.
