Blair Zerr was with his family in anticipation of getting selected in the May 3 Canadian Football League (CFL) Draft. Apparently, Zerr isn’t one to stand still. Not wanting to wait or perhaps a bit apprehensive he might not get selected, Zerr left the house to get a workout in.
“I was kind of nervous so I went to the gym,” he said. “I was sitting there and the eighth round came around, and I’m thinking, ‘Oh man, it might not happen this year.’ Right around thinking that I got a call from Edmonton.”
A representative from the Eskimos called Zerr to let him know he was going to be selected as the 65th overall pick in the eighth and final round of the draft (there are 69 total picks).
“I can’t wait to get things started,” said Zerr, the former Live Oak High standout who played at West Valley College and Humboldt State University. “I’m leaving for Edmonton (on Friday), and I’m excited to take a couple of days off and get mentally and physically prepared before camp starts next week.”
Edmonton will have three weeks of training camp, upon which the team will determine whether or not Zerr makes the team. One thing is for certain: Zerr has put in the work and knows he’ll have to maximize his opportunities to make the team. For the past year, Zerr has done football-related drills with his dad, Blair, who played for the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders.
He’s also been on a workout program from his strength and conditioning coach from Humboldt State. In addition, Zerr happens to be knowledgeable in all things fitness, as he has a personal trainer certification. A running back in high school and college, the 6-foot, 245-pound Zerr—he was at 205 pounds at Humboldt State—will try to make the squad for special teams, which play a much bigger role in the CFL compared to the NFL.
“My agent said I’d be more marketable if I gained weight, ran a good 50 (yard dash) and came in (to the combine) at 240, 250 pounds, and prepare for a special teams role. In the CFL, you’re only allowed 20 import players, and the rest are Canadian. So the import players are used for the real skill positions: running back, receiver. The small skilled players out of Canada have to be really phoenomal to get a shot. If your frame is too small, you’ll have a hard time getting picked up.”
The CFL has only three downs and a lot of scoring partly due to a larger field, making special teams paramount. The role won’t be new for Zerr, who has played on special teams throughout his career.
“I’ve played special teams on every single team I’ve played on,” he said. “I thought I was successful playing that in the past, and I’m looking forward to doing that in the future.”
Playing special teams, of course, is not for the faint of heart. There’s a reason why the NFL is considering eliminating kickoffs outright—because players are coming down with a full head of steam, increasing the odds of concussions upon impact.
“You have to keep your head on a swivel, that’s for sure,” Zerr said.
For the last six months, Zerr’s life has been one of routine chaos. As an EMT for Silicon Valley Ambulance in San Jose, Zerr works the atypical shift of 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. Wednesday to Thursday morning and a 24 hour work shift starting at 7 a.m. on Sundays. In addition, Zerr has been busy packing on muscle, strength-training four to five times a week and doing football-related workout drills at Live Oak High three to four times a week.
“My schedule has been out of whack for the last six months,” he said.
The 25-year-old Zerr graduated from Humboldt State in 2016, enjoying a standout two-year career that had him playing running back. However, Zerr hasn’t played organized football since. Upon graduating, Zerr went to EMT school and also became a personal trainer. The long layoff away from the game doesn’t faze Zerr, who took a year off of football in 2014. When he returned, Zerr was a stronger, more focused player.
“As far as growth as an athlete, some of my best growing periods was in those times I stepped back,” he said.
Zerr was born in San Jose but shortly thereafter moved to Calgary before returning to the Bay Area when he was 4. Zerr’s dad, , played for the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders and has seven siblings living in Canada, the majority in the Calgary area. By virtue of being a Canadian citizen, Zerr knew trying out to make the CFL one day would become a distinct possibility.
But it wasn’t until Darren Arbet—an assistant coach at Humboldt State during Zerr’s time in Arcata—told Zerr that he could be a good fit in the CFL that this goal really started to take shape.
“That definitely stuck with me a little bit,” Zerr said. “Not to say there haven’t been other coaches who have motivated me moving forward, but at the time it was really inspiring to hear that.”
Zerr said even if he hadn’t been drafted this time, he was intent on going to the CFL Combines and trying to get selected again next year.
“I’m 25 and it’s not getting easier,” he said. “I do everything 100 percent, and I’m willing to play whatever role the team has for me should I make it.”
That attitude has worked out well for Zerr in everything he’s done.
