We are less than a week until the CFL Canadian Draft and between mock drafts and the extensive reporting on the CFL Combine presented by Anytime Fitness, I feel like we have a good sense of who the top prospects are and the general needs of our nine teams.
However, one reason why we love drafts, beyond the sense of hope they give to nine different fan bases, is that there is still so much we don’t know. Even the most researched mock drafts will get more wrong than right. In my day job as a radio host, I try (and often fail) at asking guests at least one question they haven’t been asked before.
Using that same energy here on CFL.ca, I have put together five questions that are top of mind.
WHICH CANADIAN SCHOOL WILL HAVE THE MOST PLAYERS DRAFTED?
At first blush, this may not seem like a big deal, but if you went to Laval University, you are quietly keeping tabs on just how many members of the University of Montreal football team have been taken off the board.
As a McMaster graduate, I will still scream that Jesse Lumsden would have gone down as a top-five all-time running back if not for injuries and I am also acutely aware that Marauders defensive back Ethan Stuart had the best time (6.82 seconds) in the 3-cone drill.
Last year, the Western Mustangs led with six players drafted followed by Montreal and Alberta. The other spike in school pride comes from which school produces the highest draft pick. It looks like Queen’s has an excellent chance with offensive lineman Niklas Henning going as high as No. 1 overall with Wilfrid Laurier receiver Jesulayomi Ojutalayo being a dark horse.
DO EITHER SASKATCHEWAN OR EDMONTON DRAFT QUARTERBACK ELOA LATENDRESSE-REGIMBALD?
Will Eloa Latendresse-Regimbald go to the Edmonton Elks or the Saskatchewan Roughriders on CFL Canadian Draft day? (Timothy Matwey/CFL.ca)
Why did I pick the Roughriders and the Elks? I’m glad you asked.
I divided every team into three categories of who may select the McGill star: yes, no and maybe. I’m really breaking new ground in the sports media world with this one.
In the “no” category I have six teams.
The BC Lions have the luxury of Nathan Rourke for the next decade. Montreal has Davis Alexander and the always exciting Dustin Crum, who is still just 27 years old. Toronto is solid with former MOP Chad Kelly and Nick Arbuckle, who is coming off a 4,370-yard, 27-touchdown season. Ottawa brought in Jake Maier to back up Dru Brown, and both are under 30. Winnipeg is going to need a succession plan for Zach Collaros. The answer may be Terry Wilson, and they already have a Canadian quarterback starting his developmental journey in Taylor Elgersma. Finally, Hamilton brought in Tre Ford as a high upside backup to Bo Levi Mitchell and Jake Dolegala has nearly 400 career pass attempts.
In the “maybe” department I have Calgary. They’re all in on Vernon Adams Jr., but he is 33 years old, and P.J. Walker hasn’t jumped out as a potential starter.
Which leads us to the “yes” teams.
The Roughriders, who could easily squeeze a couple more productive years out of Trevor Harris, have plenty of questions behind him in Jack Coan and Tommy Stevens. Finally, I like Edmonton as a soft landing spot for Latendresse-Regimbald. The Elks have a clear starter in Cody Fajardo and backup in Taylor Powell, who has the tools to lead a team one day. Eloa would not have the pressure in either spot to step in his first couple years and could spend the time developing as a passer while moonlighting as an exciting short yardage specialist.
WILL THE OTTAWA REDBLACKS SELECT AKHEEM MESIDOR WITH THE 66TH PICK?
Akheem Mesidor was ranked No. 1 on the spring edition of the CFL Scouting Bureau rankings (Miami Athletics)
The University of Miami standout defensive lineman will likely be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft after his All-ACC season that saw him finish with double-digit sacks (10.5) and tackles for losses (15.5).
Don’t worry, readers, as this is the most far-fetched question on this list.
Mesidor should go on to have a long NFL career, and it is a dicey karmic proposition to be rooting for any sort of misfortune that changes this trajectory. I wonder if Ottawa will use their final pick in the eighth round to at least ensure they have the rights to an Ottawa football legend and former pride of the North Gloucester Giants. This would be the ultimate low-risk, high-reward decision.
Maybe one day we see him take down Tiger-Cats veteran quarterback Tre Ford.
WHERE DOES THE FASTEST, STRONGEST, AND MOST COMPLETE COMBINE PLAYER END UP?
I’m a simple man: if you tell me there is a race to see who the fastest athlete is, I’m watching it.
At this past CFL Combine, Montreal’s Louis-Philippe Gauthier led everyone with a 4.5 40-yard dash. While Gauthier is not expected to go in the first round, the Defensive Player of the Year award winner for the 2025 Vanier Cup should be snatched up somewhere in the second.
The strongest player goes to New Mexico Highlands University offensive lineman Mahdi Hazime, who put up 38 reps at the Invitational Combine, which tied him for eighth all-time in CFL Combine history. Hazime was also recently featured as one of the five players on Marshall Ferguson’s list of players to keep an eye on.
Finally, I want to know where the unofficial winner of the combine, Wilfrid Laurier’s defensive tackle Marcus Tenney, ends up. Who doesn’t love a big man with speed? The 2025 OUA Second Team All-Star has both speed and size: he weighs in at 278 pounds and clocked a sub-five-second 40-yard dash. Marcus also finished third in the bench press.
HOW DOES JIM BARKER HANDLE HIS NEW JOB WITH THE TORONTO ARGONAUTS?
Jim Barker, after spending a couple of years at TSN, is back as the Argonauts director of player personnel. Barker has plenty of draft capital to play with as Toronto has three of the top 16 picks. Barker has won a Grey Cup as general manager of the Argonauts back in 2012 and has been a part of several Grey Cup-winning teams not only in Toronto but Calgary as well.
I’m fascinated with how the Argos approach the draft as their staff is a mix of veterans, like Barker and Pinball Clemons, and several new faces within the organization. Argonauts.ca’s Mike Hogan has an excellent piece looking into the new look Argonauts front office. One draft class can’t turn a team around, but this will be a critical one for the future of the Boatmen.
