Manitoba Bisons star Jackson Tachinski to pull double duty at CFL's national combine

University of Manitoba quarterback Jackson Tachinski runs the ball against away from University of Saskatchewan defensive linebacker Jonathan Leggett during the first quarter of the Canada West Hardy Cup in Saskatoon, Sask., on November 20, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards

Once again, Jackson Tachinski will pull double duty.

The Manitoba Bisons star will perform at quarterback and receiver at the CFL's national combine, which begins Friday in Regina. Tachinski's prowess under centre is well known as he was Canada West's top player last season after passing for 1,842 yards and rushing for 637 yards.

But Tachinski also lined up at receiver during last month's invitational combine in Waterloo, Ont., faring well at both positions to garner an invitation to the national event.

"I'm anxious to get back out there," Tachinski said. "It (national combine) can't come soon enough, honestly."

Players will participate in individual testing with a 225-pound bench press, 40-yard dash, vertical and broad jumps, three-cone and shuttle run on Friday. Then they'll don pads for two days of practices and one-on-one matchups in front of CFL coaches, GMs and other football-operations staff.

Teams can also conduct 15-minute interviews with prospects, something they couldn't do in Waterloo. The CFL holds both its global and Canadian drafts April 29.

"I want them to know I'm a hard worker, that I'm going to give my all to help whatever team drafts me," Tachinski said. "I want that team to know it has a winner who's a football player and will do whatever he can to win games.

"They (CFL officials) asked me to take some reps at receiver and I didn't want to back down from the challenge. I wanted to show I'm willing to do everything I can to make a roster."

At Waterloo, Tachinski posted a 40-yard dash time of 4.75 seconds, a 28.5-inch vertical leap, 7.15-second three cone and 4.46-second shuttle run. But it was his smooth execution of the gauntlet drill — where a receiver sprints across the field, catching passes from multiple quarterbacks in rapid succession to test their speed, agility and ability to catch on the run — that caught many scouts' eye.

It was the first time Tachinski had ever participated in the drill.

"I'm excited to get another crack at it," he said. "I felt smooth and it felt natural so I'm just trying to build off of that.

"I'm just going to try to look a little better this time."

Tachinski has experience at receiver. He played the position for two years in minor football while serving as backup quarterback.

"That was Grade 8 and 9 in community football," he said. "I'm not sure if you want to count that because we didn't throw the ball much."

Even with that experience, Tachinski still finds himself at somewhat of a competitive disadvantage going up against players who've played receiver for all or most of their time in football.

But what Tachinski might lack in receiving know-how, he more than makes up for with his mental approach to the position.

"It's a little intimidating when you're in that environment because they've been doing it much longer than I have," he said. "But my mindset has been that I'm a really good athlete as well and I can hang with these guys.

"I know I'm going to be able to pick it up quick, that I'm going to work harder and will get a lot better at it."

But Tachinski does have some factors working to his advantage. As a quarterback, he has experience reading defences and developing a rapport with receivers.

His basketball background — Tachinski came to Manitoba in 2019 as a football and hoops recruit — has also helped ease his transition to receiver.

"When I was running the one-on-ones at the invitational combine, that was pretty much my first time doing that," he said. "And it really felt like playing basketball with all of the angles, having to high-point the ball and all of that.

"And when I'm out there, I can kind of imagine what the quarterback is seeing, what his reads are and I think that gives me an advantage in the passing game. I think I know more about receiver than I think I do."

Having to prepare for multiple positions at a combine means a heavier off-season workload, but Tachinski is good with that.

"I'm running more and doing more cutting but like I said I'm kind of used to it from playing a lot of basketball," he said. "It's just more hours spent on the turf … but it's definitely worth it and will be in the end."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 18, 2025.

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press