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Chris Seward \/ The Associated Press files<\/p>\n
North Carolina State tight end Dante Daniels hauls in a touchdown pass against North Carolina in 2024. The Bombers expect to use him as receiver who will help out their run game.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very rare. I don\u2019t recall us ever jumping up,\u201d said Walters in a Zoom call with reporters on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was just one of those moments where (you go) \u2018F it, let\u2019s go get the guy.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Tight ends aren\u2019t common in the CFL, but Walters and Co. have a vision for this one. Offensive line coach Marty Costello, running backs coach Jason Hogan and offensive co-ordinator Tommy Condell were all consulted and they agreed in unison that the Windsor, Ont., native can have an impact.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was just one of those moments where (you go) \u2018F it, let\u2019s go get the guy.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniels caught 11 passes for 147 yards and one touchdown in two seasons at N.C. State.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were very, very excited about the opportunity to add a body like this in the building,\u201d said Walters. \u201cI think it goes with the style of play Winnipeg wants to get back to, which is another big, dominant person on the line of scrimmage that can certainly move some people in the run game.\u201d<\/p>\n
The plan is for Daniels to drop 10-15 pounds so he can be a big-bodied receiver that can also help in the passing game.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur offence is built with the best running back in the league and wanting to get him as many touches as possible,\u201d said Walters. \u201cThe ability to run the ball with that type of blocking and have defences honour the passing game more than they have in the past is real interesting to us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniels wasn\u2019t their first pick of the night. The Bombers were on the clock in Round 1 at No. 4 and selected defensive end Nuer Gatkuoth out of Wake Forest.<\/p>\n
Winnipeg\u2019s own Giordano Vaccaro, a former Manitoba Bisons offensive lineman who transferred to Purdue for his senior campaign, went first overall to Ottawa.<\/p>\n
Did the Bombers try to move up to grab the local star?<\/p>\n
\u201cWe certainly kicked the tires on moving up and moving all around but I think Ottawa made a great pick with a great kid.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was pretty clear (Ottawa vice-president of football operations Shawn) Burke wasn\u2019t interested in that,\u201d said Walters. \u201cThey had it set up pretty clear, so we certainly kicked the tires on moving up and moving all around but I think Ottawa made a great pick with a great kid.\u201d<\/p>\n
Walters is confident they also made a great pick in Gatkuoth. He was a finalist for the Jon Cornish Trophy as the top Canadian player in NCAA football in 2025 after registering six sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss, 39 total tackles and one forced fumble in 12 games.<\/p>\n
Despite some NFL interest, the club expects him to be in Winnipeg for training camp.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s been a long time since the Bombers have had a standout Canadian pass rusher.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s explosive off the edge. He can get after the quarterback,\u201d said Walters. \u201cWe just haven\u2019t had that Canadian edge guy to add in a bit for ratio purposes, so we\u2019re excited to see him. He\u2019s got a mini-camp with the (Denver) Broncos, but by all accounts, he\u2019s pumped. If it doesn\u2019t translate to a contract, he\u2019ll be up here as soon as he can.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Bombers were awarded an additional second round selection this year (20th overall) for being one of the two teams to play the most Canadians the previous season. They used it on Boston College offensive lineman Kevin Cline, a prospect from Boca Raton, Fla., who was recently granted national status as his mother is Canadian.<\/p>\n
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Cline started 11 games at right tackle in 2025 and signed an undrafted free agent deal on Sunday with the Miami Dolphins.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no guarantee when, or if, the Bombers will see him, but the 6-7, 320-pound Cline has expressed interest in pursuing the CFL if his opportunities down south dry up.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt seemed like a pretty good risk-reward,\u201d said Walters. \u201cIf we see him later on this year, or even into next year, I think it will be well worth the wait for a player that I think has the ability to play tackle and at the very least, with his size and aggression, can slide down to a guard for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Bombers made nine picks in the eight-round draft, with LB Charles-Elliot Bouliane (Montreal), DB Ethan Stuart (McMaster), LB Brody Clark (York), WR Ben Britton (Calgary), WR Joshua Jack (St. Mary\u2019s), and K Brady Lidster (Windsor) being the others.<\/p>\n
CFL GLOBAL DRAFT<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Chris Jackson \/ The Associated Press files<\/p>\n West Virginia defensive lineman Edward Vesterinen (right) sacks Texas Tech quarterback Tyler Shough during a 2023 game. The Bombers selected the Helsinki native fourth overall in the global draft.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The Bombers selected defensive lineman Edward Vesterinen (West Virginia) fourth overall in the CFL Global Draft early Wednesday.<\/p>\n Vesterinen, who hails from Helsinki, Finland, started 12 games at defensive tackle last season for the Mountaineers and finished with 30 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and one fumble recovery.<\/p>\n The 6-3, 282-pounder has been invited to attend rookie mini-camp with the Minnesota Vikings.<\/p>\n \u201cFilm is really interesting. He reminds me of (Jake) Ceresna,\u201d said Walters.<\/p>\n \u201cJust a 100 miles an hour lunatic, Tasmanian devil, in a really positive way for a big man and just plays the right way,\u201d said Walters. \u201cWe\u2019ll see. I spoke with the agent, I spoke with Edward, and they seem excited at the prospects of the CFL if nothing comes about from a mini-camp.\u201d<\/p>\n In Round 2, the Bombers picked Australian punter Keegan Andrews (Massachusetts).<\/p>\n winnipegfreepress.com\/taylorallen<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Taylor Allen Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree\/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Taylor produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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