With the 2015 CFL Combine (Mar. 27-29) and CFL Draft (TBA) approaching on the offseason calendar, TSN.ca profiles some of the prospects who could be taken this spring.

When CIS players are chosen to play in the NCAA Shrine Game, it's seen as an opportunity for a young Canadian player to play against some of the best players from U.S. college football. However, along with that is the fear that they won't belong because of the perception that the level of play from the CIS to the NCAA is overwhelming. For defensive lineman Daryl Waud of Western (along with receiver Addison Richards of Regina), there were some question marks going in.

"It's a different level down there. There were times where I was like, man did I get myself in over my head here? Am I in too deep kind of thing," Waud told TSN. "I just listened to what the coaches were saying, tried my best and I think I fit in fairly well. It was a bit of an adjustment because of the differences in the game so that took a little getting used to, specifically the no yard off the ball. That being said, I think I held my own down there."

With a couple of tackles in the game, including a very noticeable four-yard tackle for a loss, Waud made some plays and didn't look out of place. Yet the differences between the CIS and NCAA were hard not to notice.

"Like I said, it's a different ball game down there. I mean the guys are a lot bigger and stronger. You look at some of these guys and they're 6'5, 330 pounds," Waud observed. "You're lucky if you see a guy that big once in a season up here. That was the stature of the guys across the board. Overall, I think I held my own and I represented myself well and hopefully Canadian football as well."

Playing in the Shrine Game is a week-long experience where players are tested the entire week in practice in front of NFL and CFL scouts. For his part, Waud found it was a huge benefit being invited to the event.

"It was unbelievable. Just to get that opportunity to go down there and compete with some of the best players in NCAA programs was a huge honour for me," Waud explained. "It was a great experience. I learned a lot of new stuff about football and life. It was honestly one of the best weeks of my life. I'm very happy I got the opportunity to do that."

Like many Canadian kids, Waud didn't get started in football until Grade 9 at Sir Allan McNab Secondary school in Hamilton. Despite having a father who played in the CIS at Wilfrid Laurier, Waud concentrated on playing hockey and lacrosse and believes they helped him athletically on the football field.

"Absolutely (it helped). I think playing other sports is great cross-training for football, I mean just the footwork you have to obtain in those games," Waud said. "Just the endurance of playing basketball and lacrosse, the speed and the quickness, it all added up and was a big part of the football player that I am."

What he's become is the highest ranked CIS prospect in the upcoming CFL Draft. Waud was a stellar interior lineman in his four years at Western. His stats don't overwhelm you but in spite of this, Waud was a First Team All-Canadian twice and a three-time OUA All-Star. He describes himself as a well-rounded lineman, one that can rush the passer but also stop the run. What makes him different from most interior lineman is his body type. At 6'5 and 290 pounds, Waud possesses long legs and arms which help him separate from offensive linemen in the trenches. Choosing Western over McMaster still weighs heavily on the Hamilton native.

"It was a tough decision between Mac and Western. They have a great program at McMaster. I knew that they were great people. It was a tough decision to make and ultimately I saw myself at Western and I saw myself having great success here," Waud remembers. "You know if you look back, Mac got to the Vanier Cup a few more times than us but I wouldn't trade my experience at Western. This has been a tremendous last few years for me. It is a rivalry between Mac and Western and I loved every minute of the time I've been at Western."

Despite all his athletic success, Waud hopes he can impress CFL teams at the CFL Combine more with his character as person.

"I think one of the biggest things about football these days, and I learned this a lot at the Shrine game, is personality. If teams are going to invest in a player, they've got to know everything about this guy," Waud said. "I think one of the biggest things for the combine is those personal meetings with teams and really getting to know the player outside of just what they can do on the field. I think that's a big part of the combine outside of everything you do in the testing."

Waud's coach at Western, Greg Marshall, believes his former lineman will be able to make the transition to professional football.

"Daryl is an outstanding athlete with tremendous potential. He has a great work ethic and has been a pleasure to coach," Marshall said. "I really believe he will make a big impact at the professional level. He's had a lot of interest from both CFL and NFL teams. He has been a great teammate and leader during his time at Western."

After the Shrine Game, Waud has put himself on the NFL's radar. Wherever he ends up, Waud just wants to take his football road as far as it takes him.

Next week, we will profile Manitoba receiver Nic Demski, the fifth-ranked prospect in the 2015 CFL Draft.