Next on the list of Canadian NFL talent is the Washington Football Team draft pick, French Canadian cornerback Benjamin St-Juste. In three games for Washington so far, St-Juste has 14 tackles and two defended passes. The 24-year-old, 6’3″, 200 pound defender could prove to be an efficient option for the Football Team down the stretch.
Cornerback Benjamin St-Juste: Canadian NFL Profile
Background of a French Canadian Defender
Born in Montreal, Quebec on September 8th, 1997, St-Juste attended Cegep du Vieux Montreal high school where he played both ice hockey and eventually, football. He was rated a three-star prospect by ESPN, as well as the second best cornerback and 84th best player in Canada. 247.com rated St-Juste four-stars, the number one Quebec player, and the 38th best cornerback. Scout rated him three stars, and the 39th best cornerback nationally. St-Juste was a PrepStar Top 350 All-American Selection as well as ranked four-stars and the 338th best prospect overall. CanadaFootballChat.com recognized him as a Divison I All-Star at Cornerback, as well as the seventh-best Canadian player. St-Juste committed to the Michigan Wolverines after receiving a scholarship.
University Awards and Achievements
At Michigan, St-Juste played 12 games as a Freshman where he completed six tackles and received a varsity letter. He suffered a hamstring injury the following season and was redshirted. After graduation, St-Juste transferred to the University of Minnesota where he completed 59 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and 11 passes defended. He received a 2019 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention as well as a 2020 Academic All-Big Ten Selection.
Draft Projection and Selection
Washington selected St-Juste 74th overall in the third round of the 2021 NFLDraft. The Toronto Argonauts selected him 52nd overall in the sixth round of the 2021 CFL Entry Draft. St-Juste subsequently signed a four-year rookie contract worth $5.1 million with a one million dollar signing bonus. NFL Draft Analyst Lance Zierlein had predicted he would be drafted somewhere between round three and round five, and compared St-Juste to Seattle Seahawks cornerback Tre Flowers.
At his pro day, St-Juste completed the 40-yard dash in 4.55 seconds. He did the 20-yard split in 2.65 seconds and the 10-yard split in 1.57 seconds. St-Juste had a vertical leap of 34.5 inches, and a broad jump of 119 inches. Finally, he completed the 20-yard shuttle in 4.01 seconds and the three cone drill in 6.63 seconds. St-Juste didn’t participate in the bench press at his pro day.
Scouts reported that St-Juste is very physical and possesses the size to challenge runners on the perimeter. He can make difficult tackles and has good quickness and agility to keep up with wide receivers on routes. St-Juste, however, can be overly aggressive and take penalties by being undisciplined with his hands. Also, his speed can be lacking at times, which is not a good combination when paired with the tendency he has to be too aggressive and over-pursue. If he can improve his decision making with experience, Washington will have found a starting level cornerback with the necessary tools to be in the lineup for years to come.
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