Gaydosh To Try NFL Before Hamilton

He was selected first overall in last Monday's Canadian Football League Draft, but it looks like four-down football is in University of Calgary Dinos defensive lineman Linden Gaydosh's immediate future.

Gaydosh signed Sunday with the Carolina Panthers and will forego training camp with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats this year in the hopes of cracking an active NFL roster. He was among 36 unsigned, undrafted hopefuls invited to the Panthers' mini-camp at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. this weekend and impressed the coaching staff enough to earn the contract offer.

“It's incredible. I absolutely love it,” Gaydosh described his mini-camp experience to Panthers.com on Saturday. “This is such a great opportunity, and even if I don't happen to make it, I've learned a lot.”

“We're so happy Linden is getting this opportunity to showcase his talents to the NFL,” said Dinos head coach Blake Nill. “He has worked incredibly hard to achieve this goal, and we wish him all the best.”

Listed at 6-foot-3, 314 pounds, Gaydosh had an incredible four-year career with the Dinos. The Peace River, Alta. native was named Canadian Interuniversity Sport rookie of the year in 2009 and maintained that level of play throughout his career. A second team All-Canadian in 2011, he led the Dinos with 7.5 tackles for loss and four sacks as Calgary once again led Canada West in run defence. A vigorous off-season training program had him in the best shape of his life and he again led a stingy Dinos defence through the 2012 season, when he was named a Canada West all-star for the second straight campaign.