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For the second straight year, the second overall Canadian Football League draft pick is an Eastern Michigan defensive lineman. That's something you can count on from now on.
EMU has long recruited Ontario decently, by virtue of three Canadians on their 2012 roster. Their record wasn't great but they had a few bright spots on the lines, and all three Canadians were taken in the CFL Draft, as well as a little-known receiver out in Western New York:
Here are the 2013 CFL Draft results. Among the MAC players taken:
Round 1, Pick 2. Eastern Michigan DE Andy Mulumba to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
This isn't much of a surprise pick. Mulumba was a highly-touted CFL prospect and he also signed as an undrafted free agent with the Packers, so if that doesn't work out he has a terrific fallback opportunity in his home and native land.
Mulumba had seven tackles for loss for a team-best 25 yards, along with seven quarterback hurries, a pass breakup and a forced fumble.
Round 1, Pick 4. Eastern Michigan OL Corey Watman to the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Cool, he doesn't have to change his uniform color! Watman started all 12 games for the Eagles, mostly at left guard but also demonstrating some versatility by starting a few games at center. Watman was the the first player on the offensive side to be taken in the CFL Draft.
Round 3, Pick 4: Buffalo WR Natey Adjei to the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto actually traded up for this pick, which originally belonged to the Roughriders, which is something because I was not familiar with Adjei. Understandably so: he saw action in seven games for the Bulls in 2012, mostly on kick coverage and on one offensive formation, he carried the ball for two yards. He has three (!) years of eligibility left in Buffalo, so the Argos must certainly see something in him, even if we in the MAC don't know much about him.
Round 3, Pick 9: Eastern Michigan DE Kalonji Kashama to the Ottawa expansion team
Ottawa begins CFL play in 2014, which works out perfectly for Kashama in the event he doesn't get a shot at the NFL. He still has one year of eligibility left in Ypsilanti and is their returning sack leader, with ... three. He has 6.5 sacks for his career and 10.5 tackles for loss in three years under Ron English. His three older brothers all played in the CFL, so he could certainly be the fourth.
And just for fun, here's the breakdown of CFL picks by NCAA school:
MAC: 4 (EMU 3, Buffalo)
NEC: 2 (Robert Morris, Wagner)
Conference USA: 2 (UTEP, Rice)
Big Ten: 1 (Iowa)
ACC: 1 (Virginia)
SEC: 1 (Florida)
Big East: 1 (UConn)
Pac-12: 1 (Oregon)
WAC: 1 (Utah State)
Big South: 1 (Liberty)
Division II: 1 (Tarleton State)