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There is no draft in sports like that of the Canadian Football League, where teams have to be as wary of a player’s upside as they do his down.

What that means is the CFL Draft isn’t just about selecting the best players; it’s also about selecting the best players who aren’t likely to find opportunities in the National Football League.

And as time has gone on, that has become a much trickier thing to navigate.

There was a time when it was virtually unheard of for players from the Canadian university ranks to have legitimate opportunities in the NFL. There were exceptions, of course, maybe one every two or three years.

But it was nothing like today where a handful of players from Canadian schools wind up in NFL camps or mini-camps annually, with more than a few managing to stick.

This year alone, six of the top seven players rated by the CFL's Scouting Bureau have either signed free-agent deals in the NFL or accepted invitations to attend mini-camps (after which they could be offered contracts.)

In other instances, players like Seattle punter Jon Ryan or New York Giants centre Brett Jones graduated from Canadian programs to the CFL where they managed to open doors for themselves south of the border.

There are also many Canadians playing U.S. college football where they are scouted in the same manner as their college teammates, virtually assuring that any Canadian with NFL potential isn’t going to slip through the cracks and return home without at least a stop or two along the way.

It’s all made the business of making a smart, sound decision on draft day that much tougher since there is enormous risk in selecting a player who never plays in the CFL.

Just consider the list of high CFL draft picks who never, or haven’t as yet, played a down in the league, including Israel Idonije (17th overall, 2003) , Nick Kaczur (ninth overall, 2005), Austin Pasztor (fourth overall, 2012) and Andy Mulumba (second overall, 2013) to name just a few.

There are a few reasons why there seem to be so many more opportunities for Canadians in the NFL than there once were.

First, let’s first give credit to the players and coaches in Canada by recognizing that the most important factor is that high schools, junior programs and universities in this country are producing better players than they once did, with a more diverse group of athletes being attracted to the sport.

It’s also worth recognizing those who’ve blazed this trail over the last 30 years. Guys like Rueben Mayes of North Battleford, Sask., Mike Schad of Belleville, Ont., and Montreal’s Laurent Duvernay-Tardif have proven there are Canadians capable of playing with the best in the world.

Suitor: Lions need to draft offensive linemen

TSN's Glen Suitor has nine 'almost game-ready' offensive lineman in the top-20 of the CFL Draft. He says that needs to be the focus for the BC Lions, taking an O-lineman at #3 and #13.

There’s no doubt that a proven track record of Canadian players, often from Canadian schools, making it to the NFL has helped make it more possible for those who’ve followed.

The other element the CFL must now contend with is technology.

There was a time that NFL teams would have to devote several days and thousands of dollars in travel expenses if they wanted to scout a player in Canada. Now a player’s stats, highlights and a whole lot more are only a click away. The CFL doesn’t accredit NFL scouts at its annual combine, but NFL scouts need only have a computer to gather everything they need.

There’s also been more room for NFL teams to invite a longshot to camp since the league expanded training camp rosters from 80 to 90 several years ago.

Economics play a part in this as well. As the gap between NFL and CFL salaries has widened over time, Canadian players are more likely to jump at any NFL opportunity over a sure thing in Canada. The NFL rookie minimum for this season is $480,000 (U.S.) where the top pick in the upcoming CFL Draft can expect to earn a base salary of $85,000 to $90,000.

Canadians to the NFL is a dynamic that teams must be aware of, as we were reminded this week when Central Michigan receiver Mark Chapman, the player many expect to be taken first overall at the CFL Draft, accepted an invitation to the New York Giants minicamp later this month.

Will that turn out to be just a courtesy invite? Or is it the start of an unlikely NFL career?

Once upon a time, all of the best Canadian football players played in Canada. But that isn’t the case and will never be again.

The challenge for the CFL’s general managers on Thursday is to correctly predict which among this year’s potential draftees might never be available to them and how much risk they’re willing to swallow.