Roughriders’ Chris Jones is still fielding calls on first overall pick

Just a day before the CFL entry draft, Roughriders head coach and general manager Chris Jones still isn’t sure if the team will use or trade the first overall pick.

“We have had a lot of calls, more so in the last couple of days than what we’ve had in the last three weeks. I’m sure that that’s going to do nothing but pick up more in the last 24 hours,” Jones said in a media availability on Monday morning.

Jones did not say what exactly he was looking for in exchange for the number one pick, but said they’ve fielded offers from teams wanting to buy the pick and from teams just looking to pick higher up in the draft.

The latter could help the Riders with a slight hiccup: they have no pick in the second round.

“That has been a bit of a stumbling block for us this year,” Jones admitted, but said he feels the third round, where the Riders have two picks, will have some strong names left.

Another challenge this draft year is the number of Canadian players that got invitations to NFL camps and are currently chasing NFL opportunities. Those players might not know for months if they’ll be cut.

Jones pretty much ruled out the Roughriders taking a shot on a player in the midst of NFL tryouts.

“We need guys that can come help us right away,” Jones said, essentially eliminating anyone at an NFL camp from the running for first overall.

“We have three to four guys that we really like, that we feel like any of those four that we get will be able to help us,” Jones said.

He did not mention any names.

The Riders have until about 5 p.m. Tuesday evening to decide if they’ll part with the first overall pick.

TSN is airing the first hour of the draft on TSN 1, 3, 4 and 5.

Where do the Riders pick:

Round 1: 1st

Round 3: 24th and 26th

Round 4: 35th

Round 5: 36th

Round 6: 52nd

Round 8: 62nd