Before being drafted into the Canadian Football League (CFL) this past summer, Nate Behar was many things during his four-year career with the Carleton football team.
Behar was selected fifth overall by the Edmonton Eskimos in the CFL draft; he subsequently held out in contract negotiations before finally signing in late June. He was one of six Carleton players drafted.
But as an ambassador for Ravens football, Behar stands out from the crowd.
Explosive on the field and talkative off it, he was a polarizing figure within Ontario University Athletics football; those he played with loved his energy and obvious play-making ability, while those he played against rolled their eyes at his trash talk and smartly-captioned Instagram posts.
His journey to Carleton was not easy, nor were his four years here; he battled lingering injuries and as a group the Ravens failed to reach their stated goal of a Vanier Cup. Nonetheless, he became a key leader in the improbably-short rise of Steve Sumarah’s program to top 10 status.
His numbers in 2014 (837 yards, seven touchdowns) and 2016 (788 yards, nine touchdowns) were the kind that allow a select few skill-position player to make the jump from U Sports football to the professional game.
Since being drafted by (and signing late with) the Edmonton Eskimos, Behar has been by all accounts nothing short of a model professional on the football field. Furthermore, he recently committed to volunteer with the Edmonton-area Boys & Girls Clubs Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Though the first few articles you’ll find when googling his name are related to his contract hold-out and active Twitter account, he has done everything in his power since signing to improve his standing.
In my two-plus years covering Carleton’s team, I had the chance to watch Behar grow as a player and person. Never camera-shy, he was a go-to player for deep balls on the field and media requests off it; he was a fascinating personality who was always good for a non-cliché quote and a trademark smile.
Now as part of the first group of modern-era Carleton grads to ply their trade professionally, Behar—having already helped craft the Ravens’ reputation at the university level—has a chance to shape how the program is viewed at the professional level.
Between the understated-but-positive reviews from Edmonton head coach Jason Maas early in the season and his volunteer work off the field, I’d say he’s off to a good start.
