University News

Gaiters' Lee and Yurichuk chosen third & fourth overall in CFL Draft

LENNOXVILLE - May 2, 2009

Jamall Lee (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) and James Yurichuk (Brampton, Ont.) of the Bishop's Gaiters have been chosen in the first round of the 2009 Canadian Football League Draft by the B.C. Lions. Lee was chosen third overall, while Yurichuk was the fourth overall pick. This is the first time two Gaiters have been first round picks in the same draft, and the first time teammates have been chosen in the first round since 2005, when McMaster and Laval each had two players selected.

Lee and Yurichuk are the first Gaiters to be chosen in the first round since Leroy Blugh, the Gaiters’ current Head Coach, who was chosen seventh overall by Edmonton in 1989. Lee is the second-highest draft pick in Bishop's history, following only Larry Smith, who was chosen first overall by Montreal in 1971.

Lee, who signed a free agent contract with the NFL's Carolina Panthers earlier this week, set two records at last month's CFL Evaluation Camp when he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds, and recorded a 44-inch standing vertical jump.

Lee holds several Quebec University Football League records including career rushing yards (4,296), rushing touchdowns (35), rushing yards in a season (1,496 in 2007) and rushing yards in a game (391 on Sept. 20, 2008). He won the CIS rushing title for the second straight year in 2008, earning his second consecutive First Team All-Canadian nod, as he ran for 1202 yards on a league-record 182 carries and scored ten touchdowns.

Yurichuk, a 2008 Second Team All-Canadian, was the first linebacker to be selected in the draft. He moved up the draft list after a strong performance at the CFL Evaluation Camp, where he led his position in five categories, including a 36" vertical jump and a 10' 0.5 broad jump.

Yurichuk finished third in the CIS in 2008 with 59.5 tackles (50 solo, 19 assisted) in 2008, while also recording 5.5 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and a pass knockdown. He is currently second on the Gaiters' all-time career tackle list with 164.0 in four seasons, trailing only Francis Bellefroid, the last Gaiters linebacker to be drafted by a CFL team.

Lee and Yurichuk are the first Gaiters to be drafted since 2001, when Andrew Carter and William Wright went 30th and 45th overall, respectively.

Including today’s selections, the B.C. Lions have drafted ten Gaiters all-time, most notably Mark Hatfield (Bonus Round, 8th overall in 1995) and Tom Europe (2nd round, 7th overall in 1993). The Lions’ ten selections are the second-highest of any CFL team, trailing only the 12 made by the Montreal Alouettes. Altogether, 57 Gaiters have been selected in the CFL draft.

Lee and Yurichuk will join long snapper Dan McCullough, who played at Bishop’s from 2003-07, on the Lions’ roster. There are two other Gaiters currently active in the CFL: Matt Robichaud, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ long snapper, and Keith Godding, who signed as a free agent with Montreal last season.

The Bishop's Gaiters football team will open their 2009 season on Friday, September 4, as they visit Sherbrooke. The home opener will come a week later, September 11, when the Gaiters host the Laval Rouge et Or.

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