Ticats take Dayton Black sixth in CFL Draft
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/05/2023 (899 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Dayton Black dreamed of a night like Tuesday since he first strapped on football pads.
And he didn’t have to wait long for the moment all his work was for. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats selected the Brandon product sixth overall in the Canadian Football League draft.
“It’s crazy. It’s wild. I’m beyond ecstatic and pumped and so grateful for the opportunity Hamilton gave me,” Black told the Sun via phone interview.
Brandonite Dayton Black was the sixth-overall pick in the 2023 CFL Draft by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Tuesday. (Electric Umbrella/Huskie Athletics)
“I’ve had a lot of good conversions with them over the last couple of weeks. It was sort of a possibility but with these things, you never know.”
When that phone rings and a long-distance number appears, however, you have a pretty good idea.
Black and his University of Saskatchewan Huskies teammates got together to watch the draft in Saskatoon and his entire family came out, including grandparents, parents Shane and Allana and siblings Kyra, Danica, Kypling and Beckett.
They stayed quiet while Dayton spoke with the Tiger-Cats but not a second longer.
“Once we finally knew it was official, it erupted,” Black said. “It was quite the loud cheer from the boys so I was pretty pumped. I was happy to be here with them and my family here.”
Black was a standout quarterback for the Neelin Spartans, breaking six Winnipeg High School Football League passing records before signing with the Huskies as a defensive lineman in 2018.
Dayton Black played quarterback for the Neelin Spartans before shifting to defensive line and ultimately offensive line at the University of Saskatchewan. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)
He started the transition to offensive line in 2020 and secured the starting left tackle job in 2022, his third year of eligibility. Black allowed just one sack all season, earning Canada West all-star honours and helping the Huskies to their second straight Vanier Cup appearance.
He transformed his six-foot-six, 265-pound frame, bulking up to 305 pounds.
Black always knew his potential professional football future was in the trenches. He wasn’t sure if he’d turn pro or return to the U of S for the 2023 campaign but getting the call in the first round may have provided a clearer picture. He’s a training camp away from making it happen.
“It’s most likely more realistic that I’ll be sticking with the Tiger-Cats. It all depends how well I can perform in training camp but my goal is to make a CFL team and play in the CFL next year,” Black said.
“It’s everything. This is just another opportunity for me to continue to play football and get better every day. I’m not going to take it lightly. This is a big deal. I’m going to the CFL, I got drafted so I’m beyond ecstatic.”
NOTES: Black is the first Brandonite picked in the first round since Vincent Massey alum Chris Bauman went first overall to Hamilton in 2007 … Hamilton’s first pre-season game is May 27 against Toronto. Its regular season begins on June 9 in Winnipeg … For full results from the draft, see Page B3.
» tfriesen@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @thomasmfriesen