Courtesy Winnipeg Free Press:

He’s big enough to blot out the sun and a tough, gritty, opening kickoff-to-final gun workhorse. He tosses around wood planks at a place called ‘Crazy Charlie’s Lumber Yard’ for some cash when he’s not at school and, just for fun, races stock cars.

Meet Brendon LaBatte, the University of Regina Rams guard the Winnipeg Blue Bombers grabbed with their first-round pick, sixth overall, in Wednesday’s CFL Canadian Draft and a man-beast they hope can crack their roster immediately and fight for starting work down the road.

How big is the kid’s upside? No less an authority than Bob Wylie, the Bombers O-line coach who has tutored seven NFL

Pro Bowlers incuding hall of famer Anthony Munoz, raves about LaBatte. Interestingly, however, the reaction to the Bombers’ selection of LaBatte on the TSN.ca webcast and among some of those who claim to be in the know was tepid at best.

So why the two schools of thought on the Bombers newest recruit and only their second first-round pick since 2000?

“Because,” cracked Regina head coach Frank McCrystal, Labatte’s college boss, “one school is smart and the other is a special-needs school.

“Look, everybody has their own opinions. I’m biased and I don’t know a lot about those guys from the American schools that we’re picked ahead of him, but Brendon is a natural physical specimen (6-foot-4, 320) who will work at the things he needs to work at.

“And he’s a great guy. You guys in Winnipeg will really like him.”

Bomber GM Brendan Taman’s take on those who questioned taking LaBatte that high, especially with Sherbrooke receiver Sam Giguere (who has signed with the Indianapolis Colts) still available: “He’s just 21 years old and was voted to go to the East-West Shrine Game (an all-star game in Houston featuring NCAA All-stars and, traditionally, a couple of Canadians) and did very well there. I don’t need to say more than that.”

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