Winnipeg Blue Bombers take receivers with first two draft picks

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers planned on taking a receiver with their first pick in the 2018 Canadian Football League draft, but a training injury to a veteran resulted in the Bombers picking receivers with their first two selections on Thursday Night.

General Manager Kyle Walters told 680 CJOB that he was ecstatic to not only get Rashaun Simonise from the University of Calgary  with their first pick, 12th overall. But also to add Daniel Petermann of McMaster with their second selection, 26th overall. 

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The urgency to add receivers was heightened when veteran Matt Coates, who was projected as a starter this year, suffered a foot injury in training that will sideline him through all of training camp and likely into the regular season.  “That increased the need for receivers and when Petermann was there at Pick 26,” said Walters, “It just seemed like we had to do it and double up on receivers.” 

Simonise is an intriguing prospect, to say the least.  The 6-foot, 4 1/2 inch and 200 pound Vancouver native was an All-Canadian with the University of Calgary in 2015 after catching 65 passes for 1013 yards in just eight games. He was subsequently declared academically ineligible, signed with Cincinnati of the NFL in 2016 where he survived all four pre-season games before testing positive for PED’s and receiving a four game suspension from the NFL.  Simonise then joined the Okanagan Sun of the Canadian Junior Football League and once again earned All-Canadian honors with 1079 receiving yards.  Last year, he played for the Sun and for an Indoor Pro team in the U.S.  And now, he will bring what is considered to be “unlimited potential” to the Blue Bombers.

“Not too many players in the draft go from running slant routes in NFL pre-season games and out running defensive backs. He’s a different looking receiver than all the rest of them in the draft. He thanked Mike for taking a chance and told him he won’t let him down.” – Winnipeg Blue Bombers GM Kyle Walters on Simonise

Petermann had an outstanding combine in Winnipeg in March.  Much smaller than Simonise at 5-foot 11 and 205 pounds, Petermann relies on quickness and a relentless work ethic. 

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 With their final 5 picks in the draft, the Bombers took, in order, 6’9″ offensive lineman Arnaud Gendron-Dumouchel from the University of Montreal, wide receiver Tyrone Pierre from Laval, offensive lineman Mathew Ouellett De Carlo from Bishops, defensive back Jacob Firlotte from Queens and offensive lineman Ben Koczwara from Waterloo.