By Canadian Press

CFL draft offers receiver Chapman another path to a pro football career

May 2, 2018 | 6:31 PM

Mark Chapman shouldn’t have to wait long to hear his name called at the CFL draft Thursday night.

The speedy Central Michigan receiver is one of a handful of players who could go first overall once the draft begins. Even if Chapman doesn’t go No. 1, he’s projected as a early selection.

“I have a lot of faith in my game and I know I’m one of the top guys out there so I do anticipate (going) high,” he said. “But whether it’s No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter much to me.

“Just being considered as a top guy is surreal. I’m just taking it all in . . . but if I did go No. 1 that would be real amazing to me.”

On Monday, Montreal GM Kavis Reed identified Chapman as one of five players he was considering to take first overall. But on Wednesday, the Alouettes  dealt the top pick to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, a move that highlighted a flurry of pre-draft moves.

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It began Wednesday with the Winnipeg Bombers sending their 2018 first- and second-round selections — the seventh and 16th overall picks — to B.C. for the Lions’ 2019 first-round pick and ’18 second-round choice (No. 12 overall). Hamilton then landed the sixth overall pick and a fifth-round selection (No. 37 overall) from the Edmonton Eskimos for 2018 second- and third-round picks (the 10th and 20th overall, respectively).

But Hamilton GM Eric Tillman’s biggest move was acquiring the first pick from the Montreal, along with the Alouettes 2018 fourth- and sixth-round picks as well as their natural ’19 second-round selection.

The Alouettes received starting Canadian offensive lineman Ryan Bomben, international receiver Jamal Robinson, the No. 2 pick along with Hamilton’s fourth- and seventh-round selections and a player from its negotiation list. The club confirmed that player is not quarterback Johnny Manziel.

Bomben’s departure could pave the way for Hamilton to take Trey Rutherford of Markham, Ont., a six-foot-five, 312-pound offensive lineman from UConn, first overall. On Monday, Reed said both Rutherford and Chapman were among five prospects he was considering to take with the opening pick.

The Ticats head into the draft in an enviable position. They have four of the first 15 picks, including two in the first round. That gives Tillman plenty of ammunition to improve his roster with blue-chip draft prospects, more trades or both.

The remainder of the first round, in order of selection, now includes: B.C.; Ottawa Redblacks; Saskatchewan Roughriders; Hamilton; B.C.; Calgary Stampeders; and Grey Cup-champion Toronto Argonauts.

The draft will go eight rounds with 69 players to be selected.

The six-foot, 180-pound Chapman was Central Michigan’s leading receiver last season with 59 catches for 875 yards and five TDs. Over four seasons at the school, Chapman had 147 receptions for 2,035 yards and 10 TDs.

After performing before 32 NFL scouts and Reed at Central Michigan’s pro day, Chapman excelled at the CFL combine. He posted a time of 4.69 seconds in the 40-yard dash and had a 36-inch vertical jump, broad jump of 10 feet 7 1/4 inches and his shuttle time of 4.12 second was second-best overall.

Then just for good measure, Chapman went on to shine in the one-on-one competition. He’s been called one of the most pro-ready players in the draft.

“I think that’s an accurate assessment,” Chapman said. “I had really great coaching coming up through college and I think that’s a testament to my coaches and the way we worked the last couple of years at Central Michigan.”

A resident of Port Huron, Mich., Chapman is deemed a national player in the CFL because he has dual Canadian-American status as his mother is a native of Sarnia, Ont. It wasn’t until his senior season at Central Michigan that Chapman learned he could be eligible to play north of the border as a Canuck.

“I had no idea that could happen,” he said. “My brother (Jarret, a defensive back) played with Hamilton but didn’t have his citizenship worked out so he made sure I had mine worked out.

“By the end of my senior season that’s when the interest came from the CFL.”

Chapman was bypassed in last weekend’s NFL draft but accepted a rookie mini-camp invitation from the New York Giants. Being selected Thursday by a CFL team would provide him with yet another avenue to a pro football career.

“I always dreamed of playing pro ball so it always was on the radar,” he said. “But I had no idea I’d have two ways, two routes to go play professional football.

“I’m in a really unique situation. It’s wild, man, it’s wild.”

Dakoda Shepley of Windsor, Ont., a  six-foot-five, 315-pound offensive lineman at the University of British Columbia, was projected as a first-overall selection. But the native of Windsor, Ont., joined the NFL’s New York Jets as an undrafted free agent Saturday.

Ryan Hunter of North Bay, Ont., a six-foot-five, 318-pound offensive lineman at Bowling Green University, was another highly regarded draft prospect. However, he agreed to terms with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent Saturday.

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press