Mesidor stays No. 1 in Winter edition of CFL Scouting Bureau

TORONTO — University of Miami defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor holds top spot in the Winter edition of the Canadian Football League (CFL) Scouting Bureau, which ranks the Top-20 prospects who are eligible for selection in the 2026 CFL Draft on April 28.

Two players in the rankings began their careers in U SPORTS. Devynn Cromwell (No. 14) played three seasons at the University of Guelph before transferring to Texas Tech and then Michigan State, while Giordano Vaccaro (No. 19) spent three years at the University of Manitoba before continuing his career at Purdue.

The CFL Scouting Bureau, comprising CFL scouts, as well as player personnel directors and general managers from the league’s nine clubs, releases its rankings three times each year, with the cycle beginning in the fall to coincide with the collegiate season, in winter following collegiate regular seasons, and in spring following Combine season.

CFL SCOUTING BUREAU: WINTER EDITION

Rank (Previous)
Name
Position
School
Hometown

1 (1)
Akheem Mesidor
DL
Miami
Ottawa

2 (2)
Logan Taylor
OL
Boston College
Lunenburg, N.S.

3 (5)
Albert Reese IV
OL
Mississippi State
Edmonton

4 (7)
Rene Konga
DL
Louisville
Ottawa

5 (3)
Wesley Bailey
DL
Louisville
Ottawa

6 (6)
Jett Elad
DB
Rutgers
Mississauga, Ont.

7 (10)
Dariel Djabome
LB
Rutgers
Longueuil, Que.

8 (-)
Nuer Gatkuoth
DL
Wake Forest
Edmonton

9 (12)
Malcolm Bell
DB
Michigan State
Montreal

10 (16)
Rohan Jones
TE
Arkansas
Montreal

11 (4)
Nick Cenacle
WR
Hawaii
Montreal

12 (13)
Darius Bell
OL
East Carolina
Hamilton, Ont.

13 (18)
Darius McKenzie
LB
South Alabama
Ottawa

14 (8)
Devynn Cromwell
DB
Michigan State
Toronto

15 (-)
Jonathan Denis
OL
Louisiana Tech
Homestead, Fla.

16 (19)
Aamarii Notice
DL
Coastal Carolina
Toronto

17 (9)
Nolan Ulm
WR
Eastern Washington
Kelowna, B.C.

18 (-)
Nate DeMontagnac
WR
North Dakota
Mississauga, Ont.

19 (11)
Giordano Vaccaro
OL
Purdue
Winnipeg

20 (-)
Émeric Boutin
FB
Laval
L’Assomption, Que.

BY THE NUMBERS

The winter rankings include:

Five defensive linemen
Five offensive linemen
Three defensive backs
Three wide receivers
Two linebackers
One tight end
One fullback

17 schools are represented in the rankings. Louisville (No. 4 Rene Konga and No. 5 Wesley Bailey), Rutgers (No. 6 Jett Elad and No. 7 Dariel Djabome) and Michigan State (No. 9 Malcolm Bell and No. 14 Devynn Cromwell) feature multiple players.
Five of the eight first-round selections in the 2025 CFL Draft were listed in the 2024 CFL Scouting Bureau: Winter edition.

TOP-5 NEED TO KNOW

1 (1) | AKHEEM MESIDOR | DL | MIAMI | OTTAWA

Akheem Mesidor remains No. 1 on the CFL Scouting Bureau Rankings (Miami Athletics)

2025: 15 games/starts, 60 tackles (36 solo and 24 assisted), 15.5 tackles for a loss, 10.5 sacks and four forced fumbles
2025 National Championship: Three tackles (two solo and one assisted) and two sacks
All-ACC First Team (2025)
All-ACC Honourable Mention (2022 and 2024)
All-Big 12 Honourable Mention (2021)
Played two seasons at West Virginia before three at Miami
Career: 65 games, including 52 starts, 205 tackles (121 solo and 84 assisted), 50.5 tackles for a loss and 33.5 sacks

2 (2) | LOGAN TAYLOR | OL | BOSTON COLLEGE | LUNENBURG, N.S.

Logan Taylor was ranked No. 2 on both the Fall and Winter editions of the CFL Scouting Bureau (Boston College Athletics)

2025: 12 games/starts (eight at right guard, three at left tackle and one at right tackle)
Team captain (2025)
All-ACC Second Team (2025)
All-ACC Honourable Mention (2023-24)
Played two seasons at Virginia before three at Boston College
Career: 49 games, including 46 starts

3 (5) | ALBERT REESE IV | OL | MISSISSIPPI STATE | EDMONTON

Albert Reece IV is ranked No. 3 on the Winter edition of the CFL Scouting Bureau after coming in at No. 5 in the Fall edition (Mississippi State Athletics)

2025: Nine games/starts
SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week (2025 Week 2 against Arizona State)
Kent Hull Trophy as best offensive lineman in Mississippi (2024)
Career: 49 games, including 22 starts

4 (7) | RENE KONGA | DL | LOUISVILLE | OTTAWA

Rene Konga is ranked No. 4 on the Winter edition of the CFL Scouting Bureau after being ranked No. 7 in the fall edition (Louisville Athletics)

2025: 12 games, including 11 starts, 29 tackles (13 solo and 16 assisted), five tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks and six pass breakups
All-ACC Second Team (2025)
Played three seasons at Rutgers before two at Louisville
Career: 44 games, 63 tackles, 11 tackles for a loss and five sacks

5 (3) | WESLEY BAILEY | DL | LOUISVILLE | OTTAWA

Wesley Bailey is ranked No. 5 on the Winter edition of the CFL Scouting Bureau after coming in at No. 3 in the Fall edition (Rutgers Athletics)

2025: 12 games/starts, 39 tackles (17 solo and 22 assisted), seven tackles for a loss, six sacks and five quarterback hurries
Academic All-Big Ten (2024)
Played four seasons at Rutgers before one at Louisville
Career: 48 games, including 37 starts, 110 tackles (48 solo and 62 assisted), 21 tackles for a loss and 15.5 sacks

Mesidor stays No. 1 in Winter edition of CFL Scouting Bureau

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