Everyone knows the Cinderella story this year of the Ottawa Redblacks making it all the way to the Grey Cup after finishing first in the East Division with a record of 12-6. The year before, Ottawa was just starting their franchise, and finished with a miserable 2-16. The CFL gave Ottawa an expansion draft to help them be more competitive in year one, but with receivers that couldn’t catch, it didn’t help much. LWOS will now look back on the Redblacks expansion draft,where the players are today and what they did for Ottawa.
Round One
Kevin Glenn, QB, Calgary
It was either going to be Kevin Glenn or Drew Tate picked here. Glenn was the first overall pick but Ottawa signed Henry Burris that off-season, and Glenn wanted out. General manager Marcel Desjardins did that by trading him to B.C. for the fifth overall pick, which turned out to be Antoine Pruneau. Glenn is currently with the Montreal Alouettes.
Thomas DeMarco, QB, B.C.
DeMarco served as the backup quarterback to Henry Burris. DeMarco also served as the team’s punter for a game. DeMarco is currently a free agent.
Moton Hopkins, DL, Montreal
Moton has become a fan-favourite in Ottawa, with the slogan “What Would Moton Order” when fans go to a restaurant. Moton is still with Ottawa and he will be a stable force on the defensive line this upcoming year.
Jonathan Williams, DL, Toronto
He has been hurt for most of his time in Ottawa but when he isn’t, he is a force on the defensive line. Williams is still with Ottawa, and will look to stay healthy and help a depleted defensive line.
Chevon Walker, RB, Hamilton
Chevon was the go to guy in 2014 but then came Jeremiah Johnson, who stole the show in 2015. Walker was then released and still is a free agent.
Wallace Miles, WR, Winnipeg
Miles was one of Burris’ favourite targets in 2014, but left and is currently with the Eskimos.
James Lee, OL, Saskatchewan
Lee didn’t last long in Ottawa as he was cut in 2014 in training camp, and he didn’t even play a snap for Ottawa. Lee is still a free agent.
Carlton Mitchell, WR, Edmonton
Mitchell only lasted one season for Ottawa, and was the third receiver, at best, on the team. Mitchell is currently a free agent.
Round Two
Patrick Lavoie, FB, Montreal
Lavoie is a fan-favourite in Ottawa, and the special teams captain. Lavoie is fresh off a contract extension, and will help Ottawa on offence and special teams this upcoming season.
James Green, LB, Winnipeg
Green, in his two years with Ottawa, was a special teams force. He signed with Calgary this off-season.
Keith Shologan, DL, Saskatchewan
Shologan was a fan-favourite in Ottawa in his two years and a defensive powerhouse. He signed with Winnipeg this off-season.
Joe Eppele, OL, Toronto
Eppele didn’t have an impact in Ottawa and retired as an Argonaut last year.
John Delahunt, FB, Hamilton
Delahunt was immediately a fan-favourite in Ottawa, and gave everything he had on every snap, but retired in 2014.
Alex Krausnick-Groh, OL, Edmonton
Krausnick-Groh stabilized a weak offensive line in 2014, but left after that year, and went back to Edmonton and is still there.
J’Michael Deane, OL,Calgary
Deane was an immediate starter for Ottawa and stabilized the offensive line in 2014 and 2015, and will look to continue to be a starter for Ottawa in 2016.
Matt Albright, OL, B.C.
Albright has been Ottawa’s sixth or seventh offensive lineman, just subbing in. He will most likely be Ottawa’s sixth offensive lineman this year after re-signing with the team.
Round Three
Marwan Hage, OL, Hamilton
Hage told Ottawa that if he was drafted he was going to retire and so Ottawa flipped him and the first overall pick for Jon Gott. Hage did retire that year.
Eric Fraser, S, Calgary
Fraser played in 2014 with Ottawa but was cut and signed with B.C.. He will look to help out B.C. this year again.
Jason Pottinger, LB, Toronto
Pottinger played one year with Ottawa and ended up retiring as an Argonaut in 2015.
Rory Kohlert, WR, Winnipeg
Kohlert didn’t have an impact in Ottawa as he was cut before the 2014 season started, and re-signed with Winnipeg and is still there.
Justin Capicciotti, DL, Edmonton
Capicciotti was the front of Capital Punishment in Ottawa and recorded double digit sacks in both his years in Ottawa. Unfortunately for Ottawa he signed with Saskatchewan this year.
Zach Evans, DL, Saskatchewan
Evans had an impact in Ottawa in 2015 and will be the force on the D-Line with Capicciotti and Shologan leaving.
Andrew Marshall, DL, B.C.
Marshall helped out on special teams in 2014 and ’15, but with limited defensive snaps he will look to improve that in 2016 with many defensive linemen leaving. He re-signed with Ottawa this year.
Jordan Verdone, LB/FB. Montreal
Verdone was drafted as a linebacker but immediately switched to fullback and became a force on special teams and a fan-favourite. Just ask Matt and Charlie Skinner.
After reviewing the expansion draft, many players left Ottawa but the core players are still in the Nation’s Capital, such as Pruneau, Gott, Hopkins, Evans, Marshall, Williams, Lavoie, Deane and Albright. Out of 24 picks, only 9 players remain with Ottawa. Ottawa truly used the expansion draft to find a core of special team players. Along with the Redblacks expansion draft, Ottawa has built their core through free agency and trades, with some coming through the draft.
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