Two Stingers football players are headed to the CFL Combine

Stingers’ wide receiver Jeremy Murphy in a game vs. the Laval Rouge et Or, 2022. Kyran Thicke/ Concordia Athletics

Quarterback Olivier Roy and wide receiver Jeremy Murphy will represent Concordia at the National CFL Combine

Over five days in March, Concordia Stingers’ quarterback Olivier Roy and wide receiver Jeremy Murphy will be evaluated by CFL general managers and scouts during the 2023 National CFL Combine.

The National Combine gathers 50 top-rated prospects from Canadian universities in preparation for the CFL draft. Out of all the prospects, Roy is the only quarterback invited.

“I wasn’t thinking about it too much, but I knew it was my draft year and I had some chances to go to the Combine,” said Roy.

The combine typically invites only a few prospect quarterbacks and instead features guest quarterbacks. This was the case for Roy last year who was a guest player, but wasn’t evaluated as a prospect.

Stingers’ football head coach Brad Collinson said that they value quarterbacks at the Combine to throw to the receivers, so having been a guest in 2022 helped him get invited in 2023.

Olivier Roy in a game vs. the McGill Redbirds, 2022. Catherine Reynolds/ The Concordian

“He deserves it and it gives him the opportunity to experience something on a bigger stage,” said Collinson.

Roy also participated in a training camp with the Ottawa Redblacks and another quarterback camp in British Columbia last year.

Collinson said that he expected that both Roy and Murphy would be invited to this year’s Combine. 

He also noted the accolades Murphy has racked up in the three seasons he’s played with the Stingers.

“He’s had a great career here at Concordia, being U Sports Rookie of the Year [in 2019],” said Collinson. “He was invited to the [U Sports East-West Bowl] last year so it didn’t surprise me.”

Murphy was a two-time RSEQ all-star in 2019 and 2022. He was also named to the first All-Canadian U Sports football team last year, so he was anticipating an invitation to the CFL Combine.

“If I didn’t make it to the combine, I would have been very disappointed in myself,” he said.

Murphy had participated in the Texas College Gridiron Showcase in January, where he was evaluated by both NFL and CFL scouts. He expects the experience he gained during that event to help him during the upcoming combine in March.

“It’s kind of the same thing,” said Murphy. “I know what to expect. It’s just the people I’m going to go against are different, the talent level is different.”

He also mentioned the possibility that scouts want to see his ability to compete against American players, as would be the case in the CFL.

“I think they wanted to see my ability to go against American players, because there are a lot of Americans that play in the CFL,” he added.

According to Collinson, the most important thing for Murphy and Roy to do is to be themselves.

“There are going to be a lot of eyes on them,” he said. “They’re going to be in front of a big crowd with a lot of scouts and general managers from all over the CFL. So they have to be able to deal with that stress and then be able to perform at a high level.”

Collinson added that players do their best when they’re calm and relaxed. Roy emulated that thought, saying he will be himself if he gets the opportunity to have interviews there.

“I think that the general managers and the coaches are going to appreciate my personality,” Roy said.

He also added that it’s hard to stand out in the Combine because of the high level of talent and the fact that the prospects don’t know each other very well. So, Roy will use his unique position as quarterback to “speak up and show [his] leadership skills.” 

Both Roy and Murphy are glad to have each other there.

“It’s great to have someone out there that you know and Jeremy is an awesome player,” said Roy. “Hopefully we can get some reps together, and I can help him show off his skills at the same time.”

“We already have this connection, this timing,” added Murphy, who said he’s glad to have his quarterback there.

The pair will leave on March 21 for Edmonton. They both look forward to the Combine and aren’t nervous yet.

“I’m excited to compete with the best in the country,” said Roy.

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