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May 3, 2023

‘I’ll Play Wherever I Can’

With their first pick in the 2023 CFL Draft, the Stamps selected Northern Illinois receiver Cole Tucker fourth overall.

Tucker played 53 games over six seasons (2017-22) at Northern Illinois and had 155 receptions for 2,030 yards and 10 touchdowns. In 2022, he set career highs for the Huskies with 45 catches for 632 yards and four touchdowns. He also returned 43 punts for 156 yards during his Northern Illinois career.

Tucker, who was born in DeKalb, Ill., receives Canadian status through his mother Cindy, a Brandon, Man., native who was a standout gymnast at Northern Illinois. His father Brett was a defensive back for the NIU football team.

The highly touted receiver was projected to go high in multiple mock drafts, so it comes as no surprise that the Red and White coaching staff were eager to pounce on the talented prospect.

“We were very excited to get the wide receiver that we did in the first round, Cole Tucker out of Northern Illinois University,” said defensive backs coach and CFL Draft coordinator Dwayne Cameron. “He’s obviously played against high-level competition and can do it all. He can catch intermediate routes and turn them into big plays, he can get over the top and make big plays, and he’s very physical in terms of blocking in and around the box. We’re quite excited to get Cole.”

Following the live announcement on TSN, receivers coach Nik Lewis gave the rookie a call to officially deliver the news.

It’s no secret Tucker has accepted an invite to rookie minicamp with the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings, but that doesn’t mean the former Husky star has closed the doors to play football north of the border.

“I’ve heard about Calgary,” Tucker began. “It looks like a beautiful city with a lot of great people so I’m excited to get up there.

“The CFL has a bunch of great players and still being able to be part of a locker-room environment and be around the game of football … that’s what my dream is, and I’ll play wherever I can.”

(Northern Illinois Athletics)

“The toughest thing for Cole is he’s going to miss rookie camp,” explained general manager and head coach Dave Dickenson. “We knew that, but we feel like we needed to take this shot. If he makes it, he makes it. We can’t wish poorly on anyone that goes down there and takes a shot at it.

“But if he is up here, I think it’s a good match. I think he’s meant to be a Stampeder and he’ll have success.”

If Tucker does find himself participating in Stamps training camp within the next couple weeks, fans can expect to see a versatile target aiming to make his mark on Canadian soil.

His game compares to that of Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp, possessing elite route-running, and the ability to get open nearly every play. Add the waggle to his playmaking abilities and he’s certainly a weapon that quarterback Jake Maier will be anxious to torture opposing defences with this season.

“I think I bring a lot of football intelligence to the field,” explained Tucker. “I’m a very cerebral player. At the receiver position I’m always looking pre-snap, post-snap, what the safeties and corners are doing, what the defence is doing and I think I bring great route-running to the equation. I pride myself on being able to get open against any coverage whether it be man, zone, doesn’t matter. There’s always a way to get open in my mind.”

Tucker looks forward to implementing those skills on the wider Canadian turf.

“I think with the CFL it’s a pass dominant league,” he said. “You know with the wide field, the waggle, it allows for receivers and offence to flourish. There’s a lot of space out there and you really can’t touch a receiver if you’ve got the waggle and the ability to move at the line of scrimmage.

“So, you know obviously for me as a receiver that likes to catch the ball and get open, that’s very intriguing,” he said with a wide grin.

Dickenson echoed that sentiment, “I got the sense that this guy loves football. His family background is solid, his mom and dad are both athletes and he can really talk the game and I just felt that he’s going to be a good fit for our team.

“He’s tough, he’s gritty and he’s got great hands and I do think he’ll push to be a big piece of the puzzle if not a starter.”

Football ops continued to stack up on national talent at the receiver position throughout the course of the draft, selecting Clark Barnes (Guelph), Sebastian Howard (St. Mary’s) and Lucas Robertson (UBC) by the end of the night. Those three additions will take to the field with fellow nationals Jalen Philpot, Luther Hakunavanhu, Rysen John, Colton Hunchak and Tyson Middlemost. Add Tucker to the mix and the Red and White have a healthy Canadian competition in camp this May.

Rookie camp opens a week from today on May 10, and training camp will commence Sunday, May 14.