Not playing football in did not prevent Montreal Carabins rude lineman Pier-Olivier Lestage from being noticed.
Canadian universities did not play last year due to the recent times. But this winter, the six-foot-three, 295-pound Ballester was invited to three American Bowl games-The East -West Shrine, Tropical Bowl and College Gridiron Showcase.
He was also the top underwater sports player (10th overall) on the CFL Scouting Bureau’s winter list of the top 20 prospects for the ’21 Draft. The top nine all played in the NCAA.
“This is a sad year for all football players in Canada,” Lestage told reporters during a Zoom call Monday. “When I was at Gridiron Classic College, a lot of scouts would ask me, “What was the most difficult time of your life and how did you overcome it?’
“I always say that’s pretty much what I’ve had to go through this year. We know that recent times at some point will be the end. . . so you just have to be ready. I’m looking forward to playing football again and putting on pads, that’s for sure.”
Lestage competed virtually in the Shrine Bowl and the College Gridiron Classic, but played in the Tropical Bowl in January. 17 in Orlando, United States., in front of NFL and CFL officials. He played guard in the game, but also worked out the middle during practice in his first action since Montreal’s 27-13 loss to Calgary in the ’19 Vanier Cup.
“When I went to the Tropical Bowl, I could tell I was a little rusty to be brutally honest with you,” he said. “Maybe the differences in the rules made it a little more difficult, but I’m sure I was rusty.
“Maybe a week or two Camp (and) I could be ready for a Season.”
Lestage, from Saint-Eustache, That., was a ‘ 19 Second team All-Canadian. While the 23-year-old is a bona-bide Bluechip CFL Prospect, he has also been seen and rated by NFL Scouts.
The Weighing Agent is Sasha Ghavami, the Montreal lawyer, who also represents NFL players Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (Kansas City Chiefs Guard) and Antony Auclair (Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tight End). Both players have won the Super Bowl in the last two years.
Lestage also spent two weeks at Charlie Petrones’ gym in Knoxville, Tenn. – where many NFL players train. He then hosted a virtual pro Day in Cincinnati with Paul Alexander, a former NFL rude coach.
While he is doing everything to fully prepare for season, Lestage admits that the year away from football has not helped his cause.
“If we don’t play football, we won’t improve in football,” he said. “But there are other things you can work on if you are not working in football.
“I’m not really complaining. Of course, I would like to play football now, but I don’t think it will be so bad for me this Season whether I play with the Carabins, in the CFL or in the NFL.”
A return to Montreal is possible, but unlikely. The expectation is that Lestage will play professionally in season.
If it’s in the NFL, there may not be the benefit of having time to keep up to date. Last year, the recent times forced clubs to scrap Rookie Minicamps and team-organised activities, both of which offer young players the chance to get used to professional football.
“I think (no rookie camp or OTA) would have a big influence,” Lestage said. “I hope there will be OTAs or Rookie mini-Camps. . . if not, I’m ready for it and hopefully I’ll be good enough so they can keep me in the team.”
If an NFL career doesn’t work out, Lestage would have no problem returning to Canada. He grew up with the Montreal Alouettes – on TV and at Molson Stadium – and would love a CFL opportunity.
He would especially like to play in Montreal in front of his family and friends and not have to move to a new Canadian city. And there would also be a meeting with Danny Maciocia, the general manager of the Alouettes, who has been the head coach of the team.
“I’m not really connecting any points right now, I’m just going one day at a time,” he said. “But it would be great to play for the Alouettes.
“I watched games on TV with my parents, I went to play at Molson Stadium. If I can’t do it (in the NFL), I’m happy to be in the CFL because I grew up. . . it was pretty high on my radar.”
