B.C. Lions receiver Jevon Cottoy hasn’t had a 100-yard recreation but, however the Canadian pass-catcher feels prefer it could possibly be coming quickly.
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Jevon Cottoy is tough to overlook. I imply, he’s 6-foot-5 and 250 kilos of explosiveness, however he’s actually laborious to overlook as the primary man the B.C. Lions quarterbacks can depend on to make a catch.
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The 26-year-old receiver has been focused 27 instances this 12 months, making 25 catches. And people two passes, he makes certain to level out, weren’t drops.
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“I haven’t dropped the ball this complete season. I do delight myself on that,” he mentioned.
His 275 yards and a landing in 2023 have him sandwiched between two working backs — behind Hamilton’s James Butler and forward of Winnipeg’s Brady Oliviera within the complete catch yardage. However by way of receiver effectivity — a quantitative measure of how properly a participant will get open, catches the ball and runs with it — Cottoy is second solely to Winnipeg’s Nic Demski (134.0 to 158.6).
Cottoy makes his mark after the catch, with half of his complete yardage approaching YAC from outrunning slower defenders or overpowering the smaller ones.
However Cottoy’s numbers are at all times going to be modest due to the function he performs, an NFL tight finish’s profile in a large receiver’s league, and he’s flirted with the 100-yard single recreation mark as soon as in his 4 years within the CFL. His five-catch, 93-yard recreation towards the Ottawa Redblacks in his first recreation of the 2021 season included a 46-yard landing, which stays the longest catch of his profession.
He’s not only a third wheel, he’s at all times been the fourth or fifth one in a receiving corps that boasted gamers like Bryan Burnham, Fortunate Whitehead, Dominque Rhymes, and now Keon Hatcher and Alex Hollins.
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So when is that 100-yard recreation coming?
“Hopefully quickly,” he smiled after apply Wednesday. “I are available every single day and put within the work. And normally when you do this, it exhibits on the sphere; laborious work pays off.
“On the finish of the day, it’s less than me. I do my job … it’s as much as Jordan (Maksymic, offensive coordinator), the sport plan and what V.A. (Vernon Adams) sees.
“Many of the instances it’s normally me on check-downs or a few performs referred to as for me and so long as I do my job catching the ball, getting yards after contact … as lengthy I preserve doing that and, hopefully, one recreation I simply have a giant catch after which one massive bust after which you’ll be able to see the 100-yard recreation.
“They simply gotta belief me on the finish of the day,” he added.
NEXT GAME
Sunday
Saskatchewan Roughriders vs. B.C. Lions
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4 p.m., Mosaic Stadium, TV: TSN, Radio: AM730
Quarterback Vernon Adams, sliding by the dialog, chimed in jokingly, “I don’t belief him, J.J. — I don’t belief him!”
“Being a Canadian within the CFL, you’ve actually acquired to show your self each single day,” Cottoy mentioned, laughing.
“To me, it’s not about 100-yard video games, it’s about successful.”
Cottoy got here to Canada when he was 9 from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and grew up in Calgary. He performed junior soccer with the Calgary Colts, and was set to affix the College of Calgary Dinos on scholarship earlier than that chance went up in smoke after he blew out each his ACL and MCL. It took two years and a few convincing from his mom, Valerie, for him to play once more — this time with the Langley Rams.
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His time with the Rams reignited his love of the sport, and curiosity in his abilities. After serving to the Rams to a Canadian Bowl look with a monster playoff run — 25 receptions for 645 yards and eight touchdowns in 4 video games — the Lions took discover and signed him as a territorial participant in 2019. He’s been in B.C. ever since.
“I’m by no means comfy, however I’m extra comfy within the offence that we run now,” mentioned Cottoy.
“My first 12 months it was form studying actually minute by minute. Now I’m comfy with all the things; the blocking schemes, the passing schemes, I’m speaking to my offensive line coach each single day. That’s one thing I didn’t do in 2019. I used to be simply attempting to only get the playbook down.
“Now can have a dialog with Jordan, coach Tuck (Jason Tucker) and Kelly Bates about something I’ve a query about.”
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He’s hoping his growth continues its trajectory, with the NFL beckoning. He’s had exercises with three completely different NFL groups previously few years, and can take a look at the waters but once more after this season.
“(They have been) wonderful, man,” he mentioned of his NFL forays. “Initially, the apply amenities … it’s simply unbelievable. That simply provides you motivation that you just wish to make it down there. They’ve all the things arrange so that you can succeed. The load room, consuming … all the things that you can imagine, they’ve it. It’s been an excellent journey. I’m nonetheless gonna go each single 12 months after the season to attempt to make it NFL as a result of that’s my final objective, my final dream.
“I simply gotta preserve performing up right here within the CFL and hopefully, , considered one of today after these nice seasons. I can get picked up.”
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His subsequent probability so as to add to his resume comes on Sunday, when B.C. visits the Saskatchewan Roughriders. With Rhymes occurring the six-game injured listing on Wednesday, there will likely be extra targets up for grabs, however the Riders’ defence held B.C. in examine of their Week 7 assembly. B.C. received the sport 19-9, however gave up 4 sacks, shedding Adams to a twisted knee on considered one of them. The Riders additionally concede fewer passing yards per recreation than B.C. (222.1 to 231.3), roundly thought of the perfect unit within the CFL.
Each crew has their very own method of contending with Cottoy, from dropping a defensive finish to mentioning a security. The Riders, relying on the place he traces up, make the most of linebacker Derrick Moncrief or defensive again Jayden Dalke.
“Dominating each single possession, whoever’s throughout from me, that’s just about what I can do,” Cottoy mentioned. “So long as I can win my matchup each single time, we must always have a superb day — as a crew.”
Twitter.com/TheRealJJAdams
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