Anthony Barrette, a fourth-year offensive tackle with the Concordia Stingers, is among the top prospects for the 2011 Canadian Football League (CFL) draft that will take place this spring.
The Verdun, Que. native was ranked 13th in the CFL Scouting Bureau’s ranking of top Canadian amateur football players announced earlier this month.
Last November Barrette was named a Quebec University Football League all-star and a Canadian Interuniversity Sport second team all-Canadian.
Before joining the Stingers, the six-foot-four, 315-pound lineman was a three-time all-star at Vanier College in the CEGEP AAA league.
Barrette, along with slotback Liam Mahoney, will be closely evaluated by the CFL teams in the coming months. Both are expected to be invited to the professional league’s annual evaluation camp in the new year. Coaches and staff from all eight CFL clubs as well as more than 50 of Canada's top university football players attend the camp.
Traditionally, camp begins with individual players being interviewed by CFL teams. Other activities include medicals, bench press, vertical standing jump, flexibility tests, 40-yard dash and more. Football drills like one-on-ones will also take place.
Last year, three members of the Stingers were invited to the evaluation camp and all three were top picks in the CFL draft. Offensive lineman Kristian Matte is now a member of the Montreal Alouettes, while receiver Cory Watson started for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Linebacker Cory Greenwood was selected third overall by the Toronto Argonauts in the draft. However, he signed a free agent contract in the NFL and is currently a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.
