A former Holy Trinity Academy runningback had the right combination of speed, strength and smarts to convince the Montreal Alouettes he may wind up their backfield in the future.
Ryder Stone, who starred for the HTA Knights from 2011-2013, was drafted by the Als in the fifth-round — 38th overall — of the CFL draft on Thursday.
"I knew runningbacks typically got drafted later so I knew I had to be patient,” said Stone from Hanover, New Hampshire, where he graduated from Dartmouth College. "I was the first tailback to go, but there were two fullbacks taken ahead of me.”
He got the call from Russ Lande, Als director of college scouting, shortly after being drafted.
"He has been scouting me since the fall, so we have had a good relationship — it was good hearing from him… I am extremely happy to be going to Montreal. I had a hunch it was going to be either Montreal or Calgary. As much as I would have liked to go home to Calgary, I am really excited for the opportunity in Montreal.”
The 5-foot-10, 225-pound Stone was Dartmouth’s leading rusher, running for 675 yards on a 145 carries (4.7 ave.) last season.
He heads to the Montreal Alouettes camp on May 17.
"Obviously special teams, any rookie coming in, that’s where you have to earn your money at the start,” Stone said. "In terms of runningback they have a similar-style offence as to what I had at Dartmouth, so it should be pretty similar to what I have here… I have just got out there and do my best and make the roster.”
Stone said his stock went up considerably in March thanks to a strong showing at the CFL combines in Winnipeg.
"I had done some testing for colleges in the past but this was a lot different,” Stone said. "There was a big production and it was on TV and I was able to put up some good numbers.”
He was able to post 4.75 seconds 40-yard dash — in sneakers —at the combine in Winnipeg in late March. He was able to lower that to 4.5 the following week. He also bench pressed 225-pounds 17 times at the combine.
The Als have also drafted a player with smarts. Stone graduated early with an environmental sciences degree.
Holy Trinity Academy Knights coach Matt Hassett wasn’t surprised to see Stone selected — although he would have like to see the runningback in Stampeder red-and-white.
"I would never bet against Ryder — he just outworks everybody,” Hassett said. "He has an amazing work ethic. If he wasn’t in the library studying, he was in the weight room working out.
"He still holds most of our weight-training records — he also has a tremendous amount of talent.”
Stone is the second HTA Knight to be drafted into the CFL. Calgary Stampeder fullback Charlie Power was drafted in the fourth round of the 2013 draft.
The Alouettes is the team in which Okotoks councillor Ray Watrin won a pair of Grey Cup rings.
For more information about the draft go to cfl.ca
