Cowboys Scout Sam Garza checking out CFL DE/LB Cameron Wake

[WoodysGirl]

CFL: BC Lions' Cameron Wake attracting plenty of NFL scouting interest

Mike Beamish, Vancouver Sun
Published: Monday, June 09, 2008

ABBOTSFORD - Sammy Garza, the Southwest area scout for the Dallas Cowboys, was a little removed from his jurisdiction Monday as he completed his tour of CFL training camps with a visit to the B.C. Lions.

Garza, a former CFL quarterback with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, didn't have to be coaxed to explain the principal purpose of his visit to Abbotsford: He wanted another look-see at Lions rush end Cameron Wake, the CFL's defensive player of the year in 2007.

Wake is eligible for free agency at the end of 2008.

"A lot of teams will be interested in him," Garza admitted. "He may have multiple [free-agent] offers to consider. Our organization isn't in the habit of overpaying for free agents, but he could be a good fit for us in our 3-4 defence [three down linemen, four linebackers]."

Lions head coach Wally Buono is assuming that Wake will be gone to the NFL next season and is already looking for his replacement.

Garza said Wake would probably revert to a weak-side or strong-side linebacker, a position he played at Penn State, if he makes it in the NFL.

Wake has put on about 15 pounds since last season in an effort to get stronger, although he says his body fat content is the same as last year.

Asked if the extra weight -- he's now 6-3, 260 -- is in anticipation of a move to the NFL, Wake said: "This year, I really want to concentrate on my strength. It was all good weight. I monitored it very closely. I put it on just in an effort to be better."

Although Wake fits the prototype of an NFL linebacker, Garza says it remains to be seen whether a weightier Wake can still fly to the ball with the same abandon.




© Vancouver Sun

 

[Nav22]

Suddenly, Erik Walden is sweating bullets.

 

[Displaced Cowboy]

derek wake was terrible at penn state.

 

[PosterChild]

Wake could be a sleeper in the FA market.

 

[theogt]

The guy finished the season with 16 sacks and 72 tackles in the CFL.

His measurables were pretty impressive when he came out in '05.

Height: 6026
Weight: 236
40 Yrd Dash: 4.65
20 Yrd Dash: 2.67
10 Yrd Dash: 1.63
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 20
Vertical Jump: 45 1/2
Broad Jump: 10'10"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.13
3-Cone Drill: 7.12

Could be a late bloomer.

 

[Doomsdayblitz]

derek wake was terrible at penn state.

There are a lot of players who actually end up better in the NFL than they did in college. Besides, as is mentioned below, maybe he's a late bloomer. You see it all the time. Anyone who is voted MVP of his league on either side of the ball is worth a look-see.

 

[cowboyjoe]

yep, guys always check the alleys, back doors, out of places, remember thats where we found cornell green, billy joe dupree, in other words dont laave a stone unturned

 

[jobberone]

How did they find all those basketball players? I'm assuming that NFL salaries are approaching or passing basketball. If that is true then we may see more players moving to football. Or has that already happened or is happening?

 

[BigWillie]

The guy finished the season with 16 sacks and 72 tackles in the CFL.

His measurables were pretty impressive when he came out in '05.

Height: 6026
Weight: 236
40 Yrd Dash: 4.65
20 Yrd Dash: 2.67
10 Yrd Dash: 1.63
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 20
Vertical Jump: 45 1/2
Broad Jump: 10'10"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.13
3-Cone Drill: 7.12

Could be a late bloomer.

His vertical means about squat, unless you want to count explosion -- but GEEZ! 45 1/2 inches from a guy that size? Heck, 45 1/2 inches from anyone? That is insane.

 

[arync]

derek wake was terrible at penn state.

I'm a PSU grad and watch most of there games on TV and I've never heard of this kid

 

[CrazyCowboy]

Suddenly, Erik Walden is sweating bullets.

:laugh2: :laugh2:

 

[lkelly]

I'm a PSU grad and watch most of there games on TV and I've never heard of this kid

He was a multi-year starter. He had a serious knee injury against Miami in 2001 as a sophomore when Willis McGahee blocked him on a blitz. After he returned he never quite lived up to the promise he showed as a freshman. He wasn't bad but he did have weakness in coverage. In many ways he reminded me of Rich McKenzie. Great athlete but not the production you wanted.

 

[AmishCowboy]

derek wake was terrible at penn state.

I don't remember him at all.

 

[WoodysGirl]

derek wake was terrible at penn state.

Have to admit, not sure how it's relevant in this thread? Cuz the article is about Cameron Wake. Is the guy's real name, Derek?

 

[speedkilz88]

Same guy.

Cameron Wake
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cameron Wake (born Derek Cameron Wake on January 30, 1982) is a professional Canadian football player with the CFL British Columbia Lions. Wake plays the defensive end position with the Lions, and wears jersey #91.

College career

Born in Waco, Texas, Wake grew up in the suburban Washington, D.C. area and attended DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, Maryland.[1] During his senior season of 1999, Wake was named the Washington Post Defensive Player of the Year.[1]

Following high school, Wake played collegiately at Penn State. Wake played mainly as a linebacker for the Nittany Lions, but also played the defensive end position. Wake finished his collegiate career with 191 total tackles, 8.5 quarterback sacks, and 24 tackles for loss.

Professional career

Following his college career, Wake joined the New York Giants in 2005 as an undrafted free agent before being released in 2006.

Wake signed a free agent contract with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League during May, 2007. Switching from linebacker to defensive end, a rejuvenated Wake had an immediate impact with the team, and was named the Defensive Player of the Week for the first week of the 2007 CFL season after an impressive debut (7 tackles, 3 quarterback sacks) in a 24-22 Lions' victory over the Toronto Argonauts.[2]

Wake finished the 2007 season with a league-best 16 sacks, and blocked the only field goal in the CFL that season.[3] He wracked up 72 tackles on his way to becoming the first player in CFL history to be named rookie of the year and defensive player of the year in the same season.[4]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameron_Wake

 

[WoodysGirl]

Same guy.

Okey dokey. Thanks, speeds.

 

[CdnCowboy]

There was a big story on this guy on one of the Canadian sports networks last season. It mostly had to do about the guys amazing vertical but had some teammates talk about thim as well. In practice his teammates will just stand around in awe and watch him jump over people or simply random objects. He related his vert to his explosiveness on the field.

However, I don't watch Canadian football, so that's all I can tell you...and if I did watch Canadian football I probably wouldn't be able to tell you much more.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

There was a big story on this guy on one of the Canadian sports networks last season. It mostly had to do about the guys amazing vertical but had some teammates talk about thim as well. In practice his teammates will just stand around in awe and watch him jump over people or simply random objects. He related his vert to his explosiveness on the field.

However, I don't watch Canadian football, so that's all I can tell you...and if I did watch Canadian football I probably wouldn't be able to tell you much more.

take notes, theo

 

[AdamJT13]

CFL players are mostly nothing more than older UDFAs.

In 2004, we signed a guard from the CFL, Tango McCauley, and gave him a $100,000 signing bonus.

He got cut two days after the first preseason game. And he didn't even play in it.

If we sign Wake, he'll get a chance to show he deserves a spot on the team, but I wouldn't expect much.

 

[speedkilz88]

CFL players are mostly nothing more than older UDFAs.

In 2004, we signed a guard from the CFL, Tango McCauley, and gave him a $100,000 signing bonus.

He got cut two days after the first preseason game. And he didn't even play in it.

If we sign Wake, he'll get a chance to show he deserves a spot on the team, but I wouldn't expect much.

Joe Horn is the most recent success story that I can think of and it took him a few years and that was after going to his second nfl team.