Laurent Duvernay-Tardif made it a record-setting final day of the NFL draft. The McGill Redmen offensive tackle went in the sixth round, 200th overall, to the Kansas City Chiefs, making him the fourth Canadian-born player taken, the most ever. All four were selected Saturday, the final day of the draft. "For sure, its a long time to wait . . . but at the same time I was saying to myself, Theres not much financial advantage to being drafted at that point, its more to get a good fit with a team," Duvernay-Tardif said during a conference call. "When I went to Kansas City I really enjoyed my time there and think I developed a good chemistry with the coaches so I was really happy the Chiefs got me." Montreal Carabins offensive lineman David Foucault, a blue-chip CFL draft prospect, will attend the Carolina Panthers rookie mini-camp next week but hasnt signed with the NFL club. The Baltimore Ravens figured prominently in the record day. They took Virginia defensive lineman Brent Urban, a six-foot-seven, 295-pound native of Mississauga, Ont., in the fourth round, No. 134 overall, before picking Winnipeg native John Urschel, an offensive lineman at Penn State, in the fifth, No. 175 overall. Notre Dame receiver T.J. Jones -- another Winnipeg native -- went in the sixth, No. 189 overall, to the Detroit Lions. Last year, Rice tight end Luke Willson, a native of LaSalle, Ont., was the lone Canadian drafted, going in the fifth round to the Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks. But in 2012, four players from Canada were selected. Three Canadians -- defensive linemen Tyrone Crawford of Windsor, Ont. (third round, Dallas) and Christo Bilukidi of Ottawa (sixth round, Oakland) and centre Philip Blake of Toronto (fourth round, Denver) -- were drafted. So was Akiem Hicks, an American defensive lineman who played at the University of Regina (third round, New Orleans). The six-foot-five, 314-pound Duvernay-Tardif, of Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que., is the 10th CIS player taken in the NFL draft but only McGills second. Randy Chevrier, a defensive lineman/long snapper with the CFLs Calgary Stampeders, went in the seventh round to the Jacksonville Jaguars in 01. J.P. Darche, a former Redmen and Toronto Argonauts long-snapper, signed as a free agent with Seattle in 2000 and remained there through the 2006 season before spending his final two campaigns with Kansas City. And like Duvernay-Tardif, Darche was a medical student who juggled his studies with football. Duvernay-Tardif was twice an All-Canadian at McGill and last year was Canadian university footballs top lineman. He also remained firmly entrenched atop the CFL scouting bureaus top-15 prospects list for Tuesday nights draft but will be a definite future selection now. One adjustment Duvernay-Tardif faces in the NFL is having defensive lineman set up across from him instead of a yard off the ball. But he successfully dealt with that in January at the East-West Shrine game. "I think Im physical enough, I think Im athletic enough," he said. "For sure, it (no yard off ball) will be an adjustment but when I went to the Shrine game it took me a practice to get used to it and after that I was ready to go. "Ill be able to work on technique so when training camp starts I think Ill be pretty used to that." Duvernay-Tardif, a converted defensive lineman, saw his draft stock skyrocket following his pro day in Montreal in March. The Chiefs were among nine NFL teams --Oakland, Philadelphia, Arizona, New York Jets, Green Bay, Chicago, San Francisco and Buffalo were the others -- to attend, along with four CFL clubs -- Montreal, Calgary, Toronto and Ottawa. Duvernay-Tardif didnt disappoint, posting a 40-yard dash time of 4.94 seconds, a 31.5-inch vertical and 34 reps in the bench press. Duvernay-Tardif was bypassed for the NFL combine but those numbers were as good as any offensive lineman who tested in Indianapolis. After his workout he visited with nine teams, including Kansas City. But it was Urban who came in as the most highly regarded Canadian. Ravens coach John Harbaugh had given Urban a second-round grade before the draft and was surprised to see him still available in the fourth. "Hes a guy when I first watched him thought second round at the latest," Harbaugh told NFL Network. "This guy is a guy who fits our scheme perfectly, a big, strong guy who fell to us so we couldnt be more happy with him." Urban, 23, started eight games last year before suffering a severe high ankle sprain. He still led all NCAA Division 1 defensive linemen with nine pass knockdowns and was invited to the Senior Bowl but couldnt play in the game due to injury. Urban has been compared to Houston Texans star J.J. Watt, one of the NFLs top defensive linemen, and came into the draft projected as a defensive end in a 3-4 scheme -- three defensive linemen, four linebackers. "We feel like were getting a potential starter down the road as a five-technique," Ravens director of college scouting Joe Hortiz said on the clubs website. "Hes a guy we really liked throughout the whole process." Urban went in the second round of last years CFL draft to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats but returned to school. This marks the second straight year Hamilton has lost a highly touted defensive lineman to the NFL. The club drafted Calgary Dino Linden Gaydosh first overall in 13 but he signed with Carolina as a free agent and spent all of last season on injured reserve after undergoing back surgery. A converted hockey player, Urban took up football his first year at Lorne Park Secondary School. After high school, he attended Virginia and redshirted as a freshman. He served as a backup defensive end for two seasons before starting at tackle in 2012. Last season, Urban recorded 13 solo tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and a sack. He attended the Senior Bowl but just practised twice because of his ankle injury. Injuries were the major knock against Urban prior to the draft. He suffered a torn ACL in 2010 and played through a wrist ailment in 2011 that required surgery after the season. He had an ankle operation in February and missed the NFL combine but expects to be ready for training camp. "Hes a raw pass rusher," Hortiz said. "The potential is there to give you an inside pass-rush presence." The six-foot-three, 313-pound Urschel was born in Manitoba but played at Canisuis High School in Buffalo, N.Y. He was a captain at Penn State, earned all-Big 10 honours his final two seasons there and was among 15 guards invited to the combine but will likely play centre as a pro. Urschel is more than a football player, having earned a masters degree in math and receiving the Campbell Trophy as U.S. college footballs top scholar. Hes also been published in a scientific journal, prompting the Ravens to ask if football was a priority before drafting him. "I guess I passed with flying colours," he told reporters afterwards. "My intelligence certainly helps. "I feel like I really bring a toughness, a real get-after-it attitude and thats something I take pride in." The six-foot, 195-pound Jones was born in Manitoba but moved to Georgia, where he went to high school. He had his most productive season at Notre Dame in 13 with 70 receptions for 1,108 yards and nine TDs. Jones heads to the NFL with a definite pro pedigree. His late father, Andre, was a defensive end at Notre Dame who also played for the CFLs Winnipeg Blue Bombers. His uncle, Philip Daniels, is a former NFL defensive lineman whos currently Washingtons director of player development. Also, his godfather is former Notre Dame star Raghib (Rocket) Ismail, who helped Toronto win the 91 Grey Cup. . However, it wasnt a problem on Monday night. Evgeni Nabokov made 23 saves for his 56th career shutout in the New York Islanders 3-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night. . Bjoerndalen, who had failed to win any major race for two years before Sochi, writes in a Facebook entry that he is "full of energy and inspiration" after winning the 10-kilometre sprint and mixed relay at last months Olympics.
http://www.cheapjaguarsjerseyssale.com/ ... ersey-sale. Aaron Hill and Cliff Pennington hit home runs in the first inning for the Diamondbacks, who beat the Miami Marlins 3-2 on Friday night. .com) - The Grand Slam season will get underway Monday at the Australian Open in Melbourne, where a new champion will be crowned this year. . The 25-year-old native of Milford, Conn., has 18 points in 41 games this season. The five-foot-eight 166-pound centre also has 28 points (10-18) in 15 games with AHL Oklahoma City.Former Leicester defender, Chris Powell, is backing the Foxes to complete one of the greatest stories in football history by going on to win the Premier League. League leaders Leicester are seven points clear of second-placed Tottenham with five games remaining this season, as they attempt to win the Premier League for the very first time. Powell is convinced his former club, who have won their last five league games on the bounce, are looking like worthy title winners.Nobody could have envisaged Greece winning the Euros [in 2004] but I think this will be greatest story in football history, I really do, Powell told Sky Sports News HQ, after opening a new west London football centre backed by the Football Foundation, the Premier League and the FA Facilities Fund. I mean if it was Manchester City or Chelsea seven points ahead I think everybody would be saying its over. I still think people feel Spurs have a chance, which they do, but Leicester have lost three games this season, Spurs have lost four. There are five games to play and its theirs to lose now.I dont think anyone associated with Leicester - fan or player - would have thought they would qualify for the Champions League and have been in the top three and at the top for most of the season, but theyve done it and it looks like they are going to go all the way. Leicester fans are on the brink of one of the greatest upsets in football history I think it will be one of the greatest stories in football history but it also shows the other teams that they can do it regardless of money or status or structure.Leicesteer are only five games away from one of the best and heart-warming stories you are ever likely to see.ddddddddddddPowell ended his 23-year career at Leicester, taking up a player-coach role with the Foxes under Nigel Pearson in his final season with the club in 2010. Powell made 23 appearances for Leicester The 46-year-old says Pearson must be given some credit for laying the foundations of Leicesters recent success and insists current boss Claudio Ranieri is a standout contender to be named Manager of the Year this season.As a fellow manager you embrace and look at what he [Ranieiri] is doing and thats not only how he manages the team but also how he handles himself, Powell said. Powell says Claudio Ranieri has been the standout manager this season You marvel at (NGolo) Kante, (Jamie) Vardy and (Danny) Drinkwater and rightly so, but sometimes you have to look at the manager.I think he has managed the transition well. Nigel Pearson started everything that they are doing now and Ranieri came in when a lot of the people thought he was the wrong man but quite clearly he is the right man.He deserves all the plaudits and hes Manager of the Year for me for sure. If you look at where Leicester were this time last year and where they are now it is absolutely phenomenal. Also See: Vardy excused shooting drills Foxes still have work to do Leicester tickets 15k a pair Who could Leicester draw? ' ' '
