After having to sit through the entire opening round of the NFL draft without being taken, Canadian Jevon Holland didnB次元官网网址檛 have to wait long to hear his name called Friday night.

The Miami Dolphins selected Holland with the fourth pick of the second round, No. 36 overall. That made the Oregon safety from Coquitlam, B.C., the first Canadian drafted.

B次元官网网址淟ast night, I was a little tossing and turning but I had a good night sleep,B次元官网网址� Holland said during a Dolphins zoom call. B次元官网网址淚 woke up (Friday) morning and went and worked out, then I sat down and was ready (to hear) my name called.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 blessed the Miami Dolphins, coach (Brian) Flores called my name.B次元官网网址�

Two more Canadians were drafted in the third round.

The Washington Football Team took Minnesota cornerback Benjamin St-Juste, a Montreal native, No. 74 overall. Then three selections later, the L.A. Chargers selected Tennessee receiver Josh Palmer, of Brampton, Ont.

The final four rounds will be held Saturday.

Palmer, for one, wasnB次元官网网址檛 content with merely being drafted.

B次元官网网址淛ust because the draft is going on doesnB次元官网网址檛 mean I stop working,B次元官网网址� Palmer said during a Chargers zoom call. B次元官网网址淭his is what IB次元官网网址檝e been training for and now that itB次元官网网址檚 here, itB次元官网网址檚 time to go take advantage of it and be great.B次元官网网址�

As an early second-round selection, Holland can expect to sign a four-year deal roughly worth US$8.7 million with a signing bonus of about $3.7 million.

St-JusteB次元官网网址檚 four-year contract should be worth around $5.1 million with a $1.069-million signing bonus. Palmer can expect a four-year, $5.03-million deal with a $1.02-million signing bonus.

Holland was surprised to be taken by Miami.

B次元官网网址淣o, I didnB次元官网网址檛 have any idea.,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 overjoyed.B次元官网网址�

More Canadians are expected to follow. Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard (Sherwood Park, Alta) and linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga (Calgary) and Iowa offensive lineman Alaric Jackson (Windsor, Ont.) have also garnered much NFL interest.

The record for most Canadians taken in a draft is four, set in 2014.

B次元官网网址淚 love being able to represent the Canadian people,B次元官网网址� Holland said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 blessed to be in this position representing that many people.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 just honoured to be here.B次元官网网址�

Holland was the second defensive back taken in the second, but first safety in the draft.

Holland, a six-foot, 207-pound junior, opted out of the 2020 season to prepare for the 2021 NFL draft. Holland said teams asked him about that decision and he didnB次元官网网址檛 shy away from answering their queries.

B次元官网网址淓verybody wanted to know and so I was honest about it,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 the only thing I could be and we just went from there.B次元官网网址�

Holland registered 66 tackles, including 4.5 for a loss, and four interceptions in 14 games for Oregon in 2019. He appeared in 27 career contests with the Ducks, accumulating 108 tackles and nine interceptions.

Holland said seeing action as a receiver in high school helped him develop his ball skills.

B次元官网网址淚 feel like I have a good sense of how the ball trajectory is going to be in the sky and things like that,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 definitely think that added to my ball skills and ball-hawking ability.B次元官网网址�

At OregonB次元官网网址檚 pro day, Holland posted 40-yard dash times of 4.46 and 4.48 seconds. He also registered a 35.5-inch vertical jump, a stellar broad jump of 10 feet six inches and 19 reps in the 225-pound bench press.

Holland also offers versatility as he can also play cornerback and return punts.

On Thursday, Miami selected Alabama receiver Jaylen Waddle with the sixth-overall pick. Waddle was also a dangerous returner for the national-champion Tide.

B次元官网网址淛aylen, thatB次元官网网址檚 my home boy, heB次元官网网址檚 a hell of a player,B次元官网网址� Holland said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 excited to be a Dolphin with him.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 just looking to be on the field with him and all my other teammates. Whatever the coaches want, man, IB次元官网网址檓 down to do.B次元官网网址�

Holland was invited to this yearB次元官网网址檚 NFL combine, but the league eliminated in-person workouts due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Holland comes by his football prowess honestly. His father, John, was a defensive back in both the NFL (San Francisco 1992-93) and CFL (1990, 1993-97 with B.C., Edmonton and Saskatchewan).

B次元官网网址淢y dad and brother both played football,B次元官网网址� Holland said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really just me trying to follow in their footsteps.

B次元官网网址淎nd then B次元官网网址� kind of adapting a passion for myself and I ended up falling in love more with the game at that point.B次元官网网址�

The six-foot-three, 205-pound St-Juste, 23, played in five of MinnesotaB次元官网网址檚 seven games this season. He registered 14 tackles and broke up three passes while earning academic All Big-10 honours.

B次元官网网址淥ne of the exciting things about him is his physical play, his physical nature,B次元官网网址� Washington head coach Ron Rivera said during a zoom call. B次元官网网址�(HeB次元官网网址檚) a guy who will come up to the line of scrimmage and be physical and a guy who will tackle.B次元官网网址�

St-Juste began his college career at Michigan, playing as a freshman in 2017 before redshirting in 2018 due to a hamstring injury that ultimately affected his scholarship status. He transferred to Minnesota in 2019, appearing in all 13 games (starting nine) and finished tied for the team lead with 10 pass breakups.

St-Juste showed versatility at the Senior Bowl in January, performing well at both cornerback and safety. He was also invited to the NFL combine but that event was held virtually, putting more weight on St-JusteB次元官网网址檚 performance in Mobile, Ala.

B次元官网网址淗e did a really good job at the Senior Bowl, he caught my eye there,B次元官网网址� Washington GM Martin Mayhew said. B次元官网网址淭he guy is six foot three, he runs well, he uses his hands and length well.

B次元官网网址淎 lot of time you see big corners and theyB次元官网网址檙e not as aggressive at the line as they could be. This guy utilizes his length at the line of scrimmage. He brings a lot to the table as far as his overall skillset and his size.B次元官网网址�

St-JusteB次元官网网址檚 father, Wilbert, played safety for the University of Miami in 1989.

The six-foot-one, 210-pound Palmer had 99 catches for 1,514 yards and seven TDs while starting 36 games at Tennessee. He also impressed at the Senior Bowl, practising well and catching a TD pass in the game.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 coming to work,B次元官网网址� Palmer said. B次元官网网址淢an, youB次元官网网址檙e going to get everything out of me.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 really care what role I have, IB次元官网网址檓 going to learn, youB次元官网网址檙e going to get everything from me and weB次元官网网址檙e going to win some games. WeB次元官网网址檙e going to win some championships.B次元官网网址�

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