Mark Chapman drafted first overall by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats

It didn’t take long for Central Michigan receiver Mark Chapman to hear his name called by Canadian Football League commissioner Randy Ambroise on Thursday night.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats selected Chapman first overall the night after completing a blockbuster trade with the Montreal Allouettes to acquire the first-overall pick which involved their #2 pick, several future picks and currently-rostered and negotiate list players.

Chapman was a high riser on the CFL radar after a monster combine performance, and was being considered as the first pick even before Montreal traded out of the pick. Chapman posted a 4.69 40-yard dash, a 36-inch vertical jump, a 10 feet and 7 1/4 inch broad jump and a 4.12 shuttle exercise in the CFL Combine, wowing scouts with his quick feet and athletic ability in one-on-one drills.

Chapman finished his career at CMU with 142 receptions, 1,965 yards and 10 touchdowns, excelling in his senior season with extended playing time. In 2017, Chapman finished with 54 receptions, 805 yards and five touchdowns.

Chapman, a Port Huron, Michigan native, discovered he was eligible as a Canadian in the CFL draft when he found out his mother was born a native of Sarnia, Ontario, Canada earlier this season.

Chapman is a legacy product at CMU, as his brother Jarrett (2014) and cousin Winslow (2015) also played in Mt. Pleasant on the defensive side of the ball.

Despite being drafted by the Ti-Cats, Chapman will likely not report to the team immediately, as he has also been offered to try out for the New York Giants at the upcoming rookie mini-camps. If he latches on with the Giants, it’s likely he won’t be in Hamilton for at least a season, but it seems to be a risk Hamilton is willing to take as Chapman will fit nicely in coach June Jones’ run-and-shoot offense.