York Lions running back Josh Martyr was among 40 university and college players who attended the CFL Evaluation Camp in Ottawa March 19 and 20.
The Evaluation Camp is a step on the way to the CFL draft, which will be held Thursday, April 28. Players were put through a series of tests to measure their relative times, strengths and overall agility.
Right: Martyr in York’s 33-23 victory over Guelph in 2003, where he rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns
Martyr, York’s leading rusher in 2002, posted two of the camp’s best results. The fourth-year kinesiology and health science student and native of Woodbridge, Ont., led all players in the standing broad jump with a result of nine feet, nine inches. Martyr also placed second in the sit and reach flexibility test with a score of 19 inches.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats head coach and former McMaster University coach Greg Marshall thought the two-day camp provided a wealth of talent for CFL teams to choose from.
“We’ve been impressed by the players we wanted to see, but also surprised by some of the players here this weekend,” said Marshall. “There have been some kids that have really stood out and there has been a balance of quality players at each position.”
Last year, former York offensive lineman Anthony Forgione and former York defensive lineman Frank Hoffmann attended the Evaluation Camp. Forgione was selected 28th overall by the Calgary Stampeders in the 2004 CFL draft, while Hoffmann was chosen 30th by the Toronto Argonauts.