ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF
MISSISSAUGA – The Toronto Argonauts showed pride in their city as they selected four local GTA prospects in the 2013 CFL Canadian Draft. In all, Toronto took five players today after trading three fifth round choices (39th, 40th, and 44th overall) to Saskatchewan to move up into the third round (22nd overall).
Commented Argonauts General Manager, Jim Barker, “We targeted the best players for this organization and four out of five of them happened to be local. We were very excited to get a player of Matt Sewell’s calibre in the first round. We traded three fifth round picks to move up to the third round because we felt like we had a chance to grab a very good football player. Overall, we’re very happy with how this year’s draft went for us.”
With the eighth overall pick, the Double Blue landed Milton, Ontario native and Hec Crighton award nominee, OL Matt Sewell out of McMaster University. In the second round, the Argonauts added talented DB Jermaine Gabriel (Scarborough, Ontario) from Bishop’s University. WR Natey Adjei (third round) and OL Michael Di Domenico (sixth round) are both out of the west end of the city, coming from Mississauga and Burlington respectively. Adjei is a futures pick out of the University of Buffalo, and Di Domenico is eligible this season after spending his senior year at Tarleton State University in Texas. Seventh round pick LB Paul Spencer is originally from British Columbia and attended Concordia University.
2013 ARGONAUTS DRAFT SUMMARY:
Round Overall Player
1 8 OL Matt Sewell
2 17 DB Jermaine Gabriel
3 22 WR Natey Adjei
6 52 OL Michael Di Domenico
7 60 LB Paul Spencer
Jim Barker said this about first pick, OL Matt Sewell, “In the first round of the draft, you want to take a player who has a chance to develop into a starter on your team. Matt is a local player who has a huge upside and is very athletic for his size. We are pleased to have been able to take him with the eighth overall pick.”
Sewell commented, “I grew up an Argos fan and I have always hoped to have an opportunity to play in the CFL one day. I am excited that my name was called in the first round by my hometown team.”
Barker commented on second round pick, DB Jermaine Gabriel, “Jermaine is a tremendous athlete. He played one year for Calgary in the Canadian Junior Football League and was named the Prairie Conference MVP. We expect him to compete hard and be a solid contributor on special teams.”
Gabriel grew up watching the Argos, “This is a dream come true. Growing up watching the Argos in Rogers Centre, I always dreamt of playing for the Double Blue. I still can’t believe my name was called.”
After completing a trade to acquire a third round draft pick from Saskatchewan, Barker selected futures prospect WR Natey Adjei out of the University of Buffalo, “Making this trade was a great opportunity to get a very good player. Natey still has one year left at the University of Buffalo and he is another local prospect that we are very excited about.”
Barker commented on sixth round pick, OL Michael Di Domenico, “He’s a big-body guy who comes from the Toronto area. He is also a tough guy who we think can contribute on our offensive line.”
Barker commented on seventh round pick, LB Paul Spencer out of Concordia University, “Paul is a player that special teams coordinator Mike O’Shea is very interested in. He has the chance to be a strong contributor on special teams for the foreseeable future, and those types of athletes are very difficult to find.”