Georgia football: Two former Bulldogs prepare for the 2017 CFL season

Oct 29, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Georgia Bulldogs helmet during the first half at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 29, 2016; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Georgia Bulldogs helmet during the first half at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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The National Football League is not the only pro football league with former Georgia football players on their roster. Two Bulldogs are on Canadian Football League rosters.

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As Georgia football fans, we’re always interested in how former Bulldogs are doing in professional leagues. It doesn’t matter if it’s the NFL, indoor leagues like the AFL or in the Canadian Football League.

The 2017 CFL season begins in three weeks and two former Georgia football players are on CFL rosters. Ray Drew plays for the Montreal Alouettes, Marcus Howard plays for the Edmonton Eskimos.

Note: tackle stats in the CFL are not as high as they are in the NFL. In 2016, only three CFL players made over 100 tackles. In the NFL, 33 players passed 100 tackles. Six CFL defenders had over 10 sacks, while 16 NFL defenders had at least 10 sacks.

Ray Drew

Drew is of course the youngest Bulldog in the CFL. A member of the 2011 “Dream Team” recruiting class, Drew played four seasons as a defensive end at Georgia.

Drew began his NFL career in Miami as an undrafted free agent but he has also been a member of the Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers. But the Panthers released Drew before the beginning of the 2016 regular season.

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Drew set his sights up north to the Canadian League where he signed with Montreal where he appeared in four games and recorded five tackles and one sack.

In Montreal’s first preseason game against the Toronto Argonauts this past Thursday, Drew was third on the team with three tackles in the Alouettes 24-20 loss.

Marcus Howard

Howard played four seasons at Georgia as a defensive end and a linebacker. But most Georgia fans remember him for his outstanding 2007 season where he achieved First Team All-SEC honors.

That year he had 41 tackles and 10.5 sacks. He was also named MVP of the Sugar Bowl for his 3.5 sacks and touchdown on a forced fumble and recovery.

The Indianapolis Colts drafted Howard in the fifth round of the 2008 draft but he was waived before the 2009 season. The Tennessee Titans picked him up in 2009 but released him before the start of the 2011 preseason. Three days later he signed a contract with the Edmonton Eskimos and has been an Eskimo ever since.

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He has appeared in 63 games in his six seasons in Edmonton. In those 63 games, Howard recorded 76 tackles and 36 sacks. His best CFL season was 2013 when he had 26 tackles and 10 sacks in 17 games.

Howard was also a big part of the Eskimos 2015 Grey Cup Championship Team. He had 15 tackles and six sacks that season. Last year he had 10 tackles with seven sacks.

Edmonton’s first preseason game is tomorrow night against the Calgary Stampeders.