Welcome to the final few days of March!
And as the month of April begins later this week, we have just one more key date to hit between now and the start of training camps. The 2026 CFL Draft goes April 28 and the 2026 Global Draft on April 29 and will be followed by the opening of rookie camps a few days later.
Yeah friends, a new season is almost here and the CFL Draft will serve as the perfect launchpad for the 2026 campaign.
CFL COMBINE PRESENTED BY ANYTIME FITNESS
» Full results from testing portion of 2026 CFL Combine
» 3 players that stood out on CFL Combine Saturday
» 5 CFL Combine participants compare themselves to CFL stars
» 3 players that stood out on CFL Combine Sunday
» 3 standout performers that dominated CFL Combine testing day
WHO RAISED THEIR STOCK AT THE CFL COMBINE?
The CFL Combine presented by Anytime Fitness Canada wrapped up on the weekend and gave us plenty to sink our teeth into. As we know, the Combine is the last major signpost for football personnel prior to making picks. And every year multiple players use their Combine experience to turn heads and raise their stock ahead of the draft.
For instance, University of Ottawa defensive back Patrick Cumberbatch jumped off the page for seemingly everyone thanks to strong testing results across the board. Gee Gee’s teammate Marc Rondeau hit the mark too and was highlighted as a Coaches’ Pick after Saturday’s on-field work.
On offence, Wilfrid Laurier receiver Jesulayomi Ojutalayo was a testing demon and finished top five in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, and 3-cone drill. Similarly, University of Calgary receiver Matt Sibley scorched the sheet in the 40 and 3-cone, was named a Coaches’ Pick on Sunday, and got singled out by our Marshall Ferguson for his on-field performance on Saturday.
None of the names mentioned appeared in the CFL Scouting Bureau’s winter rankings from January and it’ll be interesting to see if any crack the final rundown released in April. Either way, though, none of them did any harm to their stock later this month.
THE IMPACT OF THE NFL DRAFT
The 2026 NFL Draft goes April 23 to 25 and, as always, will have a significant impact on the CFL Draft a few days later. For instance, the top two prospects from the Scouting Bureau’s winter rankings are likely to be NFL selections with Miami defensive lineman Akheem Messidor projected as a late first-round or early second-round selection. Boston College offensive lineman Logan Taylor, on the other hand, seems likely to come off the board on day three.
Mississippi State offensive lineman Albert Reese IV and Louisville defensive lineman Rene Konga, ranked third and fourth respectively, seem like sure bets to be signed as NFL priority free agents if they’re not drafted. And other top 10 prospects have decent chances to be signed as undrafted players, too.
In almost every one of these cases, the player’s CFL Draft stock will fall relative to their position in the Scouting Bureau to varying degrees. In fact, with Messidor projected where he is in the NFL, some suggest he may not be selected at all north of the border. Others may slip to the second or third round, even with clear first-round chops.
It’s always something to pay attention to as the CFL Draft approaches each spring.
WHO GOES FIRST OVERALL ON APRIL 28?
Projecting the first round of the CFL Draft is always a fascinating exercise and well above my paygrade. That’s why we trust experts like Marshall, because it’s never an easy process with as many things on the table to consider. That said, even us more casual but highly interested observers can start to put some pieces together.
Offensive linemen are typically hot commodities in the first round. That’s why I’ve had people suggest any one of Louisiana Tech’s Jonathan Denis, East Carolina’s Darius Bell, or Purdue’s Giordano Vaccaro could end up going first overall to the Ottawa REDBLACKS.
Some other names to watch in the first round include Hawaii receiver Nick Cenacle, South Alabama linebacker Darius McKenzie, and Coastal Carolina defensive lineman Aamarii Notice, among others.
Whoever goes first overall, it’s an important decision for the REDBLACKS. After making the playoffs in 2024, Ottawa slipped back to 4-14 last year. Overall, the REDBLACKS have missed the playoffs in five of the last six seasons and made a huge move by hiring Ryan Dinwiddie as their new head coach and general manager.
An impact player at first overall would be another huge piece of Ottawa’s return to contention.
