Football players are no strangers to off-season workouts but for the Saskatchewan Huskies Evan Johnson, his gym routine is carrying a little extra weight these days.
The Huskies offensive lineman is getting ready for the Canadian Football League (CFL) Combine, a chance for the all-Canadian to prove he has what it takes to play professionally.
“You look at all the statistics and the numbers and they’re against everyone, so yeah, it’s a special feeling to be able to be in a position like this right now,” Johnson said.
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The Combine brings all of the top draft-eligible players in Canada together under one roof to be evaluated by CFL teams.
This year’s event is part of CFL Week in Regina, which also happens to be Johnson’s hometown.
“It’s a huge opportunity, a huge event and back home in Regina there, my hometown too, so that makes it special too,” he said.
Combine participants will be put through a series of drills designed to test their strength, speed and agility.
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To prepare, Johnson has bolstered his off-season routine by working with a personal trainer, setting targets for each drill. The Campbell Collegiate grad feels confident in his speed and agility numbers so he’s devoted extra time to the bench press, where he’s hoping to complete 20 reps of 225 pounds.
In order to do that, he’s been bulking up his already sturdy six-foot four, 280-pound frame.
“I’m trying to get the weight up, trying to eat enough food to be able to sustain and gain weight, and then also just working out hard and trying to gain good weight, being muscle,” he explained.
In addition to the physical drills Johnson will also sit down for interviews with CFL scouts. It’s a pressure-packed environment, but thankfully for the fourth-year engineering student, his head coach, Scott Flory, has been there before.
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Flory had an illustrious CFL career, winning the league’s Most Outstanding Lineman award twice as a member of the Montreal Alouettes.
“He’s obviously got that wealth of experience to draw from and given me advice, whether it’s what to expect with the combines or the interview process,” Johnson said. “He’s a really smart guy, really knows football and especially the O-line, because he played there.”
Johnson won’t be the only Huskie taking part in the Combine.
Receivers Mitch Hillis and Julan Lynch will also be there after having performances at the West Regional Combine that were impressive enough to earn invitations to the main event.
Johnson can’t wait for his chance under the spotlight.
“The training’s all been there, the preparation’s all been there, so now all I have to do is just go out and perform and keep a level head and get the job done.”
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