Former Rebels Boyko, Murray-Lawrence taken in CFL Draft
Former UNLV offensive lineman Brett Boyko is in Philadelphia trying to make the Eagles, but he has a backup plan in case that doesn’t work out.
He was drafted in the second round (14th overall) by the British Columbia Lions on Tuesday in the Canadian Football League Draft.
His former Rebels teammate, running back Shaquille Murray-Lawrence, was taken in the third round (23rd overall), also by the Lions.
As for Boyko (6 feet 6 inches, 300 pounds), his preference is to make the Eagles, and he reportedly made a positive impression over the weekend in rookie minicamp.
“It’s definitely cool, but I’ve got a lot of work here to do,” Boyko said. “It’s nice that they think that and what I’m capable of doing, so I’m going to try to make it happen.”
He has the ability to play both tackle positions as well as guard. Boyko switched to guard late last season after starting at left tackle, and became a second-team All-Mountain West selection.
Up north, Boyko was rated as the Canadian’s league’s second-best prospect by the CFL Scouting Bureau, but he slid in the draft because he is signed to an NFL team. CFL clubs are hesitant to spend first-round picks on players who might not be around, a common occurrence when rating the top available players.
“Right now, I’m trying to make the (Eagles), but I’m happy BC took me,” Boyko said. “It’s cool, being from Canada. Obviously, I have a lot of work to do on the (Eagles’) playbook.”
Murray-Lawrence (5-8, 192) was rated the CFL’s 16th-best prospect.
He helped himself after a strong performance at the league’s combine. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds despite a groin injury. That time set the combine record until it was broken by Tevaughn Campbell, a Canadian college player who ran a 4.36.
Last season, Murray-Lawrence led the Rebels with 552 yards rushing and nine touchdowns. He also averaged 4.7 yards per carry.
“I feel blessed right now!” Murray-Lawrence said in email. “Thankful that I have another opportunity to play football again.”
Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65.
