How did the 2026 CFL Draft class fare on cutdown day?

Photo courtesy: Steven Chang/B.C. Lions

74 players were selected in the 2026 CFL Draft, all of whom had the same goal: earn a spot on a professional roster.

Seven of the players taken are currently under contract in the NFL, which means they’ve got a long wait before training camps open. Two more players didn’t sign CFL rookie contracts as they’re in the process of recovering from major injuries, delaying their professional careers until 2027.

This leaves 65 players who were drafted, signed with CFL teams, and competed for roster spots in training camp, begging the question: how did they fare on CFL cutdown day?

In all, 30 drafted players made their respective teams, 13 earned practice roster spots, seven were sent back to school, 14 were cut, and one retired before the preseason got underway.

The two lowest-drafted players who made active rosters were both out of Wilfrid Laurier: linebacker Josh Connors and fullback Sebastian Parsalidis. Connors was selected No. 66 by the Ottawa Redblacks, while Parsalidis was picked No. 68 by the Toronto Argonauts.

Last year, zero eighth-round picks made active rosters straight out of training camp, though defensive back King Ambers ended up dressing for nine regular-season games with the Redblacks and making two starts.

The highest-drafted player not to make an active roster was Southeastern Louisiana defensive back Shakespeare Louis. The Ottawa native was picked No. 17 by the Montreal Alouettes and was placed on their practice roster.

The Alouettes also had the highest-drafted player to be sent back to school in receiver Nathan Udoh, who was taken No. 28 out of Manitoba. The top-selected player to be cut was McMaster offensive lineman Frank Vreugdenhil, who was selected by the Argonauts with pick No. 40.

Below is a full list of each team’s selections from the 2026 CFL Draft with a roster designation for each player. Keep in mind that this is merely a snapshot in time — over the coming weeks, players will get promoted to the active roster, demoted to the practice roster, cut, signed, and more. It’s how professional football works.

There are also four players listed below with injury designations, though not all injuries have yet been disclosed. As such, expect at least a few more rookies to start the season on the one or six-game injured lists with their respective teams.

B.C. Lions

1 (7) REC Nate DeMontagnac, North Dakota — made the team
2 (15) DB Jett Elad, Rutgers — made the team
4 (36) DB Pierre Kemeni, Ohio — made the team
5 (45) REC Nick Cenacle, Hawaii — made the team
6 (54) OL Ethan Graham, Regina — cut
7 (63) LB Chase Henning, UBC — practice roster
8 (72) DL Ebenezer Dibula, Kennesaw State — cut

Calgary Stampeders

1 (6) LB Eric Rascoe, Angelo State — made the team
3 (26) REC Jesulayomi Ojutalayo, Wilfrid Laurier — practice roster
3 (27) DL Tristan Marois, Colorado — made the team
5 (44) REC Matt Sibley, Calgary — practice roster
6 (53) OL Mitchel Schechinger, Guelph — back to school
7 (62) DL Stephen Kpehe, Queen’s — cut
8 (71) OL Jack Warrack, Saskatchewan — back to school

Edmonton Elks

1 (3) LB Dariel Djabome, Rutgers — made the team
2 (12) DB Benjamin Sangmuah, UBC — made the team
2 (19) DL Wesley Bailey, Louisville — NFL
3 (21) REC Carter Kettyle, Alberta — made the team
4 (32) OL Spencer Walsh, Wilfrid Laurier — unsigned
4 (35) LB Justin Pace, Queen’s — made the team
6 (50) OL Chris Pashula, Calgary — practice roster
7 (58) QB Éloa Latendresse-Régimbald, McGill — back to school
7 (59) OL Matthew Ljuden, Alberta — cut

Photo: Matt Johnson/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

Saskatchewan Roughriders

1 (9) DB Malcolm Bell, Michigan State — made the team
2 (18) REC Dylan Djete, Alabama State — made the team (injured)
3 (29) OL Darius Bell, East Carolina — made the team (injured)
4 (38) LB Osasare Odemwingie, Calgary — back to school
5 (47) OL Jez Janvier, Southern Mississippi — practice roster
6 (56) OL Albert Reese IV, Mississippi State — NFL
7 (65) REC Shemar McBean, UBC — cut
8 (74) TE Ryan Speight, Wilfrid Laurier — unsigned

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

1 (4) DL Nuer Gatkuoth, Wake Forest — made the team
2 (10) TE Dante Daniels, North Carolina State — made the team
2 (20) OL Kevin Cline, Boston College — NFL
3 (24) LB Charles-Elliot Bouliane, Montreal — practice roster
4 (33) DB Ethan Stuart, McMaster — made the team
5 (42) LB Brody Clark, York — made the team
6 (51) REC Ben Britton, Calgary — retired
7 (60) REC Joshua Jack, Saint Mary’s — cut
8 (69) K Brady Lidster, Windsor — cut

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

1 (5) OL Jonathan Denis, Louisiana Tech — made the team
2 (14) REC Malick Meiga, Coastal Carolina — NFL
3 (25) DB Devynn Cromwell, Michigan State — made the team
4 (34) OL Brayden Szeman, Calgary — practice roster
5 (43) LB Loik Gagné, Concordia — made the team
6 (52) LB Marc Rondeau, Ottawa — cut
7 (61) DL Aamarii Notice, Coastal Carolina — practice roster
8 (70) DL Kyler Laing, Mercyhurst — cut

Toronto Argonauts

1 (2) OL Niklas Henning, Queen’s — NFL
2 (11) RB Isaiah Smith, Guelph — made the team
2 (16) DB Ethan John, Windsor — made the team
3 (22) DB Louis-Philippe Gauthier, Montreal — made the team
3 (23) LB Darius McKenzie, South Alabama — made the team
4 (30) REC Nolan Ulm, Eastern Washington — made the team (injured)
5 (40) OL Frank Vreugdenhil, McMaster — cut
6 (49) REC Tyriq Quayson, Windsor — cut
7 (57) K Nathan Walker, York — cut
8 (67) RB Weagbe Mombo, Windsor — practice roster
8 (68) FB Sebastian Parsalidis, Wilfrid Laurier — made the team

Photo: Gord Weber/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

Ottawa Redblacks

1 (1) OL Giordano Vaccaro, Purdue — made the team
2 (13) TE Émeric Boutin, Laval — made the team (injured)
4 (31) DL Charlie Parks, Saskatchewan — made the team
5 (39) OL Alassane Diouf, Montreal — practice roster
5 (41) LB Benjamin Dobson, Calgary — practice roster
6 (48) DL Rene Konga, Louisville — NFL
8 (66) LB Josh Connors, Wilfrid Laurier — made the team

Montreal Alouettes

1 (8) TE Rohan Jones, Arkansas — NFL
2 (17) DB Shakespeare Louis, Southeastern Louisiana — practice roster
3 (28) REC Nathan Udoh, Manitoba — back to school
4 (37) RB Liam Talbot, Windsor — practice roster
5 (46) DB Harrison Daley, Windsor — back to school
6 (55) K Michael Horvat, McMaster — back to school
7 (64) DB Cyrus McGarrell, Northern Illinois — cut
8 (73) REC Zachary Houde, St. FX — cut

John Hodge is a longtime Canadian football reporter, insider, and podcaster for 3DownNation. Based in Winnipeg, Hodge is also a freelance television and radio broadcaster and curling reporter for Rock Channel.