Quebecers Justin Senior and Antony Auclair join NFL after weekend's draft
Seattle chooses Montreal native Justin Senior, Antony Auclair signs with Tampa Bay as UDFA
Quebec football player Antony Auclair has signed a three-year agreement with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a undrafted free agent.
The tight end's agent, Sasha Ghavami, confirmed the news early in the evening. The financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.
Auclair won a Vanier Cup with the Laval Rouge et Or last season. The six-foot-six, 254-pound native of Notre-Dame-des-Pins, Que., was the No. 2 rated prospect for the upcoming CFL draft but he wants to become a part of Tampa Bay's high-octane offence.
"When I visited the team they told me that the roster was filled with good tight ends," said Auclair. "But there are spots open for a wide tight end, a guy who can block first and do routes and stuff also."
Canadian offensive tackle and Montreal native Justin Senior was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the sixth round of the NFL draft on Saturday.
Even on the day he was drafted, Senior was putting in work to get better and better.
With the gym closed at Mississippi State, where he spent his college career, Senior did cardio drills on a speed and agility ladder on his own.
"I want to become a more complete player, I feel like I owe that to the team that took a chance on me," said Senior, who was drafted 210th overall by the Seahawks in the sixth round of the NFL draft on Saturday. "I owe that to all the people that helped me get here, to just keep working and be a better and better player.
"I don't know when I'll stop working. I'll just keep working and working until the end. There's always something you can be better at."
The six-foot-five, 331-pound man played at Mississippi State where he was a three-year starter. The 22-year-old captured the 2016 Kent Hull Trophy as the state's top offensive lineman. He's also the top prospect for the CFL draft on May 7.
Auclair and Senior weren't the only Canadians to join NFL teams. Offensive lineman Geoff Gray and defensive lineman Eli Ankou were all signed as free agents.
The six-foot-five, 315-pound Gray, who played for his hometown Manitoba Bisons, signed with the Green Bay Packers.
Ottawa's Ankou, who played at UCLA, was signed by the Texans. The six-foot-three, 290 pounder was ranked third for the CFL draft.