Ajou Ajou Returns to Canada with Experience and Determination Ahead of CFL Draft
Over 80 players start their journey to becoming CFL Draft picks in 2024 on Thursday at the CFL Combine. Teams and fans alike are especially eager to see how certain guys perform, including Ajou Ajou, who has gained attention as one of the top prospects at wide receiver.
Ajou sat down with SI FanNation for a conversation about his preparation for the CFL Draft and what his experience was like in college. He expressed that even though he is doing all the same things to prepare for the draft as everyone else is, his focus is to work harder than the other prospects.
“Just the usual. I'm not going to say I'm doing anything different than anybody else, but I say that I'm definitely trying to work harder than everybody else. Just in the gym, on the field, just getting right to do all my tests and whatnot, keep my weight consistent, all that good stuff.”
Ajou was born in Calgary and played high school football in Edmonton, as well as basketball and track. He started his college career at Clemson, finishing with eight receptions for 114 yards and one touchdown in two seasons. While he didn’t play there long, he brought back a lot of lessons from being with the Tigers.
“Clemson was amazing. Nothing short of it. It was definitely eye-opening for me to be in an environment of straight winners and just to understand and learn that winning culture, you know what I'm saying? And to see what a real leader is like and taught me everything.”
In 2022, he moved on to South Florida, posting two receptions for nine yards in one season. He finished up his college career at Garden City Community College, where he hauled in 17 catches for 186 yards and two touchdowns in seven games. After the season, he was granted eligibility to enter the CFL Draft.
Because he spent his college career in the United States, his mom was not able to see him play. The idea of coming back to Canada and playing in his home country means more than just an opportunity to play professional football.
“It means everything. It started here, right? So, to essentially finish out here, it means the world to me. My mom can finally watch me play; you know what I’m saying? So, like, yeah, it's amazing. It's an honor.”
Going into the draft, Ajou is ranked 17th overall and third among wide receivers in the Scouting Bureau Winter Draft Rankings released in January. The trait that Ajou believes separates him from the rest of the receivers is his size.
“My physicality, for sure. I like to impose my will on others, you know what I'm saying? Just being a six-four, 220-pound receiver, not many guys can, I'd say cover me in a sense, because you're worried about that deep ball. But then I'm a big dude who can also get in and out of his breaks as well. So, it's like you're going to have to bring you’re A-game when you're guarding me.”
While it should be expected that Ajou will get attention from CFL teams for his size and long stride speed, his determination and hustle are what separates him from the rest of the prospects.
“I'll bring my A-game, man. I'm nothing short of it. I'm a passionate player, bro. It's crazy. And they'll see it. Whoever drafts me, they'll see it. They'll see how much I really love the game. After everything I've been through, not many people would go through that and continue to carry on, you know what I'm saying? So just to know that they got a fighter, they got a fighter for sure, I'm willing to go to war and fight to the end until that whistle blows.”
Ajou will wait to hear his name called during the CFL Draft on April 30.
2024 CFL Combine Preview: Event Details, Top Prospects to Watch
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Anthony Miller has been covering professional spring football since 2019 including XFL, USFL, and CFL. He was a local news reporter in Texas before transitioning to sports. Other sites he writes for includes College Football Network and NTZ Network.