Star cornerback Jordan Lessard is considering the possibilities of obtaining a scholarship and transferring to the NCAA, but he is not closing the door on returning for a fourth season with the Laval University Rouge et Or.
Approached by agent Scott Macdonell, Lessard warned the Rouge et Or of his intentions a month ago. “I want to explore my possibilities,” Lessard said during a brief telephone interview while on vacation with his family outside the country. There is a good chance that I will return to Laval.”
A Gray Cup winner with the Ottawa Redblacks in 2016, Macdonell is very complimentary of the cornerback who was selected to the first all-star team in the country the last two years.
“He’s the most talented defensive back in Quebec since Marc-Antoine Dequoy and Antoine Pruneau,” he said. Jordan has a lot of work to do, but he has the potential of Benjamin St-Juste and Deane Leonard who play with the Los Angeles Chargers.
“Not all cornerbacks are 6ft2in and 200 pounds,” continued the Montreal agent. He has good feet and his athletic qualities are superior to what we usually see in Quebec. You can’t teach size and speed.”
While he believes it is still early in the transfer process, the former CFL receiver believes Lessard is in a good position to receive an attractive offer. “I don’t want to identify the teams at the moment, but I have spoken with Power 4 and Group of 5 schools,” he said. It’s certain that we are looking for Division 1 schools that are ready to offer him a full scholarship.”
Only one season of eligibility
Because he played three seasons in Canada, Lessard is eligible for just one year in the NCAA at this time. “He only has a year left and maybe two if the rules change, but there’s nothing guaranteed. “That’s why it’s important that he gets a starting position and quality reps in his first year.”
If he transfers to the NCAA, Lessard will be the first player from the Quebec university network to achieve this feat. A few years ago, cornerback Deane Leonard (Calgary) and defensive end Tavius Robinson (Guelph) took the same path by signing with Ole Miss. Both are currently playing in the NFL, with the Chargers and Baltimore Ravens, respectively.
The Rouge et Or is delighted for its star player
Sensing Lessard’s intentions from the start, Glen Constantin will support his star player in his efforts. “We are happy for him and we will support him,” said the Rouge et Or head coach. “We can only be delighted if Jordan obtains a full scholarship to a big program. There is also money coming from the NIL which could be interesting.”
NCAA transfers will take place from January 2 to 16, but Lessard will be able to sign immediately if he receives an offer that suits him because he plays in Canada.
“Money is an important aspect, but it’s not the number one factor,” Macdonell said. We have to make sure that he ends up in a program where he can showcase himself. However, we must ensure that another cornerback does not receive an amount ten times greater than Jordan because teams will sometimes make decisions based on the investment they have made and not based on the level of the player.
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