Friday, May 4, 2018

TORONTO – Led by the third round selection of Central Washington defensive lineman Bo Banner, three GNAC football players were selected in the 2018 Canadian Football League Draft, which was held on May 3.

Banner, a First Team All-GNAC selection and the conference’ Defensive Lineman of the Year, was taken by the Montreal Alouettes with the 19th pick in the draft. Banner finished his senior season 29 tackles, was the GNAC leader with 15.5 tackles for loss and shared the GNAC lead with teammate Billy Greer with 11 sacks. Among NCAA Division II leaders, Banner finished ranked 16th with 0.92 sacks per game and 15th with two blocked kicks.

Banner is the first Wildcats’ player to be drafted by a CFL team in the school’s GNAC era, which began in 2001.

Simon Fraser wide receiver Justin Buren was taken by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the fifth round and the 37th overall pick. An Honorable Mention All-GNAC choice by coaches in 2017, Buren led the Clan and finished fifth in the GNAC with 53.7 receiving yards per game. Buren is the 16th SFU drafted by a CFL team since the school joined the GNAC in 2010.

Former Humboldt State running back Blair Zerr was taken by the Edmonton Eskimos with the 65th pick in the eighth round. Zerr, who was a senior for the Lumberjacks in the 2016 season, averaged 32.2 yards per game in five contests and had a season-high of 54 yards at Simon Fraser on Sept. 17, 2016.