EDMONTON – The process of assembling a Grey Cup winning football team is an inexact science, but it all begins at Rookie Camp.
This is where the Elks football operations and coaching staff can finally see all the puzzle pieces laid out before them, and it’s now time to put them together. The evaluation process is brief for the roughly 60 rookies trying to break a CFL roster for the first time, but it is a chance to grab a hold of that dream of playing pro football. The first-year players will only hit the field for two sessions on Wednesday and Thursday before the roster needs to be cut down to 85 players.
For Head Coach Mark Kilam, who is entering his 21st CFL camp but his first as a head coach, the new crop of rookies are already making that decision difficult.
“It was awesome,” Kilam said about Wednesday’s double practice. “There’s great energy out here. We’re flying around, practicing like pros. Coaches were organized, so that was a good thing, and the players worked hard.”
“They were moving with tempo from period to period, and for the most part, knew what they were doing. We installed a lot yesterday, so credit to the players.”
From a casual view of Rookie Camp, there is a ton of talent for the Elks brass to choose from. A glance at the roster sheet shows players like defensive back Kalon Barnes, who to this day holds the third fastest 40-yard dash time since the NFL adopted electronic timing, with a blistering 4.23 second sprint in 2022.
The defensive line looks flush with talent with athletes such as six-foot-six Elijah McAllister or 295-pound Shakel Brown, who have both already shown off their disruptive abilities during one-on-ones.
When it came to catching passes from Tre Ford and Cody Fajardo, it was hard to not be impressed by the sheer size of Ohio State product Binjimin Victor, whose 18 touchdowns in 47 games with the Buckeyes places him 10th on the team’s all-time list – tied with former CFL receiver DeVier Posey and New Orleans Saints great Michael Thomas.
As for who stood out for the coaching staff, Coach Kilam is keeping those cards close to the vest, but he’s loved what he’s seen through one session.
“I’ll have to watch the film,” the Elks head coach said about standout performers. “I don’t want to give anything away yet, but I did think that we competed the right way. I think a couple guys, as with every practice in training camp, a couple guys will move up. Now, can we take the corrections from the film and then show up tomorrow? That’ll be key.”
The rookies who best take the coach’s corrections will be the ones who put themselves in the best position to move on to main camp starting on Sunday, May 11. The turf at Commonwealth Stadium is an equal opportunity for all, and it will be the talents who came to camp with the best preparation and mindset who will rise to the top.
“It’s very difficult to make a professional football team, and it’s the same for everybody in the league,” Kilam said. “That’s why we’re encouraging these guys to just make the most of their opportunities.”