Getting labelled as being ‘Day 1 ready’ is one thing.
Knowing when that day will come is something entirely different for University of Buffalo product Tomas Jack-Kurdyla.
Taken fourth overall by the Edmonton Eskimos in the 2020 Canadian Football League draft, the six-foot-three, 300-pound offensive lineman was touted as being as ready as any player on the board – anyone not already under contract in the National Football League, at least – to be a starter in the pros.
But after CFL commissioner told the House of Commons standing committee on finance Thursday that the most likely scenario he sees playing out for the league amid the COVID-19 crisis is no 2020 season at all, perhaps the thing Jack-Kurdyla should be getting himself ready for is to stay ready for a while.
Rookie camps across the league were set to kick off this week, before the global pandemic forced them to be postponed indefinitely, while combines and all scouting trips had to be cancelled.
And with public backlash for Randy Ambrosie’s request for federal funding of $30 million even if some sort of shortened season can be salvaged in the lead up to November’s Grey Cup planned in Regina, the entire future of the league has come into question.
“I was supposed to be in Buffalo to keep training, but I had to leave with the border situation,” Jack-Kurdyla said from his home in Montreal, adding he’s looking forward to expanding his horizons out west. “I’m trying to get there as early as possible, trying to get there before training camp even starts,” he said. “Whenever everything clears up and I can get on a flight and get out there, I’m there.
“I expect myself to be humble and compete every single day, come into it like it’s a regular job every day with my lunchpail. Long hours, long nights watching film, getting extra practice reps, getting whatever information that veterans pass on to me. I’m a sponge right now, I just want to learn as much as I can, soak up everything.”
In the meantime, it hasn’t been all bad drying out in familiar surroundings.
“It’s the first time I’m able to be at home for so long to be with my family, which feels great coming out of college and spending quality time with them,” he said. “And being around my dogs and seeing some old friends, really, as much as I’m allowed to especially trying to keep social distancing.
“But, I don’t know, it’s almost like a blessing and a curse. You’ve just got to look at the positives of all situations and try and stay positive. With everything going on right now, this is a great moment in my life. With the corona (virus) going on right now, it really didn’t ruin it at all.”
He was, after all, picked in the top five of a top-heavy draft.
“To be honest, I had no idea it would be Edmonton,” Jack-Kurdyla said. “I had great talks with some of the coaches and recruiters, they had a very high interest in me. I could hear it by their tone of voice and the types of conversations that we had.
“But I really couldn’t predict it at all, it seems like it will be a great fit. So with no idea this was happening, I’m just really excited and very grateful for this moment and opportunity.”
Jack-Kurdyla is being reunited with a former foe in fellow first-round draft pick and defensive end Mathieu Betts, who went third overall to the Eskimos in 2019.
“I played against him growing up,” recalled Jack-Kurdyla, who played high-school football at Montreal’s Vanier College. “He played for Vieux Montreal, I definitely had some battles against him while I was at Vanier.”
The CFL never strayed too far from his mind after leaving the country.
“I have plenty of ex-teammates, friends and I had mentors, growing up, playing in the CFL and went to many CFL games my whole life,” Jack-Kurdyla said. “Being on the road (with Buffalo), we had a lot road games in Ohio and they played CFL games there. I remember watching the Toronto Argonauts play Montreal later in the season and watching the game on TV with some of my teammates, which was nice.
“You definitely keep following the CFL, especially because I know some of the guys that play in it.”
He can add his name to that list.
Some day.
E-mail: [email protected]
On Twitter: @GerryModdejonge
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2020
