CFL.CA STAFF
TORONTO — The two best teams in the CFL faced off on Friday night in an offensive showdown. On Saturday afternoon in Toronto the two best players from the 2010 Canadian Draft may have the opportunity to go head-to-head, as well.
Shomari Williams (left) and Joe Eppele (right) laugh it up during the CFL’s Evaluation Camp in Toronto. Williams was selected #1 overall in the 2010 Canadian Draft while Epple was selected at #2. (Photo: Ryan Enn Hughes)
The first overall pick in the draft, Shomari Williams, is slated to start at defensive end for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He has seen action in every Rider game this season, including his first career start last week against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
The second overall pick in the draft, Joe Eppele, enters the game as a back-up offensive lineman for the Argonauts. However, if starter Chris Van Zeyl is forced out of the line-up the possibility remains that the two rookie linemen could do battle in the trenches. Eppele is also expected to play tight end throughout the game making the rare match-up more likely.
There is some history to how Williams ended up in Regina and Eppele in Toronto. The Argonauts and Roughriders agreed to a trade on draft day that sent the the first overall pick from Toronto to Saskatchewan.
The Riders received the Argos’ second round pick in exchange for the second and fourth overall picks and punter Jamie Boreham, who will also dress on Saturday.
When the Riders selected the Queen’s University defensive end first overall pick in the 2010 CFL Canadian Draft it marked the first time the Riders held the top selection since 2001. Defensive lineman Scott Schultz was the main man that day when he was selected by the green and white.
Williams led the Queen’s Golden Gaels to a Vanier Cup in 2009 – his only season with the team. He was the top rated prospect by the CFL Amateur Scouting Bureau heading into the Draft. Williams played three seasons at the University of Houston before heading north to play in Kingston with the Gaels.
Tipping the scales at 6-feet, 7-inches tall and over 309 pounds, Eppele received extensive playing time at Washington State. A three-time second-team PAC-10 academic all-star, the hulking tackle started five games and dressed in 33 games over his four seasons as a Cougar.
While most fans will have their sights set on quarterbacks Darian Durant and Cleo Lemon, make sure to keep an eye out for #99 in green and white and #59 in double blue for a rare occasion to watch the top two rookies battle it out in the trenches.