B.C. Lions took linebacker Jason Pottinger, defensive end Rick Foley and offensive lineman Steven Valli in the first round of yesterday's Canadian Football League college draft.
"The first three guys will all be in [next month's training] camp, will all compete and be very helpful for us," head coach and general manager Wally Buono said.
McMaster University's Pottinger was the Lions' first pick - second overall. The 22-year-old Whitby, Ont.-native is six-foot-two, 243 pounds and had 38 tackles last year. York University's athlete of the year Foley of Courtice, Ont., went fourth overall.
"A tremendous athlete with tremendous size and speed and athleticism," Buono said.
Valli, a North Vancouverite from Simon Fraser University, went sixth overall.
Lions continued in the second round with Tulsa's Edmonton-born offensive lineman John Hameister-Ries (15th overall), University of B.C.'s Abbotsford-born slotback Mike Lindstrom in the fifth (40) and University of Connecticut defensive end Jason Ward of St. Hippolyte, Quebec in the sixth (48).
Delta's Adam Braidwood, a Washington State Cougars' defensive end, was the first overall pick by the Edmonton Eskimos. Saskatchewan Roughriders claimed SFU's Luca Congi of Burnaby 12th overall in the second round. Congi was the only kicker drafted.
