In a big piece of news to Canadian University football fans and DSFL scouts, Saleem Spence formally declared yesterday that his Junior season with the University of Manitoba will be his last, and that Spence intends to enter the DSFL Season 27 draft. With that in mind, The University of Manitoba extended a formal invitation to scouts from all eight DSFL teams to see their players in action, with Spence drawing most of the attention and being put through a mini-Combine.
The 6'3 220 pound wideout looked to be in great shape, and was put through his paces in the standard drills. Spence ran a 4.49 40 yard dash, a surprising number for a bigger receiver, before showing some more reasonable athleticism with a 7.15 shuttle run and a 4.51 3-cone drill. Spence then busted off 16 bench press reps at 250 pounds, and a 11 foot broad jump. The workout was then finished off with Spence showing off a 38 inch vertical to cheers from his teammates.
"I felt good about my little mini-Combine." said an exuberant Saleem Spence. "I'm in good form physically, I did my best in those drills to show off, and I had some good talks with reps from the D-League. I think I'll be ready for the bright lights of the pro leagues, but I've gotta take things one step at a time and bring us home another Vanier Cup first."
The University of Manitoba are certainly contenders for the honour of Canadian university football's top prize, as they won last year's iteration with a tough 9-6 win over the Laval Rouge et Or in a sleet-soaked final game. Manitoba is off to a 5-1 start, and are being paced excellently by Saleem Spence's receiving talents, with his 62 catches for 870 yards and 12 touchdowns leading the nation in all 3 categories. Spence is regarded as a dynamic possession receiver with a good nose for the endzone, a physical style, and some underrated athleticism. While some scouts seem leery of him due to the perceived weakness of the Canadian college game, Spence's combine seems to show some scouts that he's for real.
One team that could show interest in Spence is the Kansas City Coyotes. The moribund team is suffering through an 0-9 season, and while some losses have been close and encouraging, a problem with depth seems obvious, as only receiver Eleven Kendrick-Watts seems to be providing any reasonable options for Kansas City passes. With a likely higher pick than others in the later rounds, Spence could very well be a target, and Kansas City scouts did show interest in the Canadian wideout.
The University of Manitoba Bison are in action in a couple days, playing host to the University of Regina Rams, the only team that's given them a loss this season.
The 6'3 220 pound wideout looked to be in great shape, and was put through his paces in the standard drills. Spence ran a 4.49 40 yard dash, a surprising number for a bigger receiver, before showing some more reasonable athleticism with a 7.15 shuttle run and a 4.51 3-cone drill. Spence then busted off 16 bench press reps at 250 pounds, and a 11 foot broad jump. The workout was then finished off with Spence showing off a 38 inch vertical to cheers from his teammates.
"I felt good about my little mini-Combine." said an exuberant Saleem Spence. "I'm in good form physically, I did my best in those drills to show off, and I had some good talks with reps from the D-League. I think I'll be ready for the bright lights of the pro leagues, but I've gotta take things one step at a time and bring us home another Vanier Cup first."
The University of Manitoba are certainly contenders for the honour of Canadian university football's top prize, as they won last year's iteration with a tough 9-6 win over the Laval Rouge et Or in a sleet-soaked final game. Manitoba is off to a 5-1 start, and are being paced excellently by Saleem Spence's receiving talents, with his 62 catches for 870 yards and 12 touchdowns leading the nation in all 3 categories. Spence is regarded as a dynamic possession receiver with a good nose for the endzone, a physical style, and some underrated athleticism. While some scouts seem leery of him due to the perceived weakness of the Canadian college game, Spence's combine seems to show some scouts that he's for real.
One team that could show interest in Spence is the Kansas City Coyotes. The moribund team is suffering through an 0-9 season, and while some losses have been close and encouraging, a problem with depth seems obvious, as only receiver Eleven Kendrick-Watts seems to be providing any reasonable options for Kansas City passes. With a likely higher pick than others in the later rounds, Spence could very well be a target, and Kansas City scouts did show interest in the Canadian wideout.
The University of Manitoba Bison are in action in a couple days, playing host to the University of Regina Rams, the only team that's given them a loss this season.