WINNIPEG — An arguably subpar college career and a season-ending knee injury were not enough to deter the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from selecting VFL Jonathan Kongbo with the fifth overall pick in the 2019 Canadian Football League Draft.

The season has begun north of the border, and the Blue Bombers are the only unbeaten team in the league’s Eastern Conference standings. Winnipeg edged British Columbia, 33-23, to open its season June 15.

After a Week 2 bye, the Bombers notched a 28-21 victory over the Edmonton Eskimos.

Kongbo has not had a chance to join in on Winnipeg’s success as he continues to rehab a 2018 injury that he sustained while playing for the Volunteers at Auburn.

The Bombers recently placed Kongbo on the six-game injury list. He said after the draft that he was hoping to play in Canada before the end of the summer. He may be back before the campaign reaches its halfway point. Teams play 18 games in the CFL’s regular season.

Kongbo is one of several former Vols to play in the league. Others include Condredge Holloway, Jimmy Streater, Johnny Majors, Jonathan Hefney and Tee Martin.