“Sean is maybe the most talented offensive lineman I had during my tenure at Calgary.”

That was former Calgary Dinos coach Blake Nill describing Sean McEwen, the sixth-ranked prospect in this year’s CFL Draft.  Boasting alumni like current CFLers Kirby Fabien and Carson Rockhill, that is high praise.  Not surprisingly, McEwen took his cue from those players when he was teammates with them on the Dinos.

“I played with Kirby and Carson and I learned so much from both of those guys,” McEwen told TSN recently.  “Not only are they great physical prospects, but they’re such hard workers.  Kirby and me were very good friends.  He's taught me so much about the process of going through it, really what to expect and how to get the most out of it.  I really appreciate everything I've learned from him.”

McEwen started playing football in the sixth grade in the Calgary area and the person who got him started in the game was actually younger than him.

“My younger brother was actually the one who started playing football.  He went to his first spring camp for the community team,” McEwen remembers.  “I actually went out and watched it and that's when I decided I was going to try out for the team in the fall.” 

Being one of the bigger kids, McEwen was put on the offensive line and excelled from there.  He was highly recruited coming out of Notre Dame High School in Calgary and his skills were apparent to Nill and the Calgary coaching staff right away.

“His potential was seen immediately as he started at times on a very strong 2012 team at UC,” Nill said.  “His physical skill aside, what makes him so attractive to the pro scouts is his intelligence and leadership.  He is very competitive and has the mindset to overcome the most difficult game situations.”

Nill, who is now coaching at the University of British Columbia, had an influence on McEwen not only on the field, but in all facets of life.

“He just teaches you a lot about growing up and becoming a man,” McEwen stated.  “That's one of the most important parts, especially for a guy who's going to play on the line for a living.  You’ve got to be tough and really willing to take what's yours.  I think we've really just built a winning culture at Calgary. It's almost become an expectation of how hard we need to work and just follow in the footsteps of the people that did it before you.  I think Coach Nill is crucial to creating that culture in the first place.”

During his time at Calgary, McEwen moved from guard to centre.  It was that position that matched his strengths as a player. 

“I kind of like being the communicating guy.  One of my favourite parts of football is the mental aspect,” McEwen explains.  “I really like being the guy in charge making all the calls and just kind of dissecting the defence.  It's one of my favourite parts of football.”

Being a three-time conference all-star and two-time All-Canadian, it’s apparent that McEwen also mastered the physical aspect of football.  Yet it’s his mental acumen that McEwen takes the most pride in. He hopes to showcase that at the CFL combine next month.

“I really want to show my mental ability.  My ability in perceiving things and understanding things the first time around and learning quickly,” McEwen explained.  “I think that's one of my greater traits as a football player.  I hope I can demonstrate that during the interview processes.”  McEwen went on to add.  “I think the focus might be too much on testing.  Obviously on-field performance is very important but I think just as important is preparation.  If you're sure you can be prepared for a combine you'll be willing to prepare for practices and games during the season.”

Still, when the time comes McEwen also knows that he will have to perform when called upon to prove his worth to CFL teams

“I'm looking to show teams that I can perform under pressure.  Obviously you're going to be nervous going into testing and 1-on-1's.  I think ultimately if you can't perform under pressure, you can't perform period, especially at the CFL level,” McEwen conceded.  “There's pressure to perform on every single play against a guy who's bigger, faster, and stronger than anyone you've gone against.  I really want to show them that I can deliver when the time comes.”

Our next profile will be on McEwen’s teammate, Calgary offensive lineman Sukh Chungh, the seventh ranked prospect in the 2015 CFL Draft.