5 takeaways from the CFL Scouting Bureau Winter edition

With the Vanier Cup long gone in 2025 and the national championship down south wrapped up, it’s officially time to talk CFL Draft prospects!

Aside from all-star games and showcase events, all available film is now on the reels. The release of the CFL Scouting Bureau’s Winter rankings featuring the top 20 CFL Draft-eligible players for this spring confirms we are fully into prep for the summer season and its weekly football offering.

Here are my five takeaways from the Winter Scouting Bureau Rankings.

LOCKED IN

Akheem Mesidor is ranked No. 1 on the Winter edition of the CFL Scouting Bureau Rankings (Miami Athletics)

Was there ever any doubt Akheem Mesidor was staying put at the top?

Anyone who watched the Ottawa native’s Miami Hurricanes *nearly* historic college football playoff run knows just how dominant he has been and will continue to be. He had major pass rush prowess including a 37.5 per cent win rate against blockers, ranking fourth in the FBS.

The top-ranked prospect rarely makes their way into CFL threads, but Mesidor is a sight to behold as a Canadian product and should be celebrated as he waves the flag in any football uniform he wears next year.

Boston College offensive lineman Logan Taylor also stayed steady in his previous ranking of second, as the top duo showed no wavering through their final college seasons.

FLYING UP THE CHARTS

The biggest rise in the Winter Rankings from a player who was already previously on the list came in the form of Arkansas tight end Rohan Jones (Montreal, QC), but four players who weren’t featured in the fall have arrived.

Top among them is Wake Forest defensive lineman Nuer Gatkuoth, who slots in at eighth after a six-sack season for The Deacs, while Louisiana Tech offensive lineman Jonathan Denis, North Dakota receiver Nate DeMontagnac, and the lone U SPORTS prospect Laval’s Émeric Boutin all put their names squarely into the conversation.

NCAA DOMINANCE

Émeric Boutin is the only U SPORTS player to be listed on the Winter edition of the CFL Scouting Bureau Rankings (Laval Athletics)

The quality of U SPORTS football continues to improve as coaches push boundaries and more young talent develops from player to coach domestically, but one look at this list and you realize that names like Calgary, Montreal, Western and UBC aren’t present.

This isn’t earth-shattering as the list is usually NCAA school heavy, while many top U SPORTS players end up being the real standouts come June (please see Windsor Lancers Devin Veresuk for recent reference). This list is especially lopsided with only fullback Émeric Boutin of Laval repping the northern programs, despite two players having started at U SPORTS schools and transferring to Division I NCAA programs being featured here.

TRENDING LINES

The battle in the trenches was so much fun to watch during the college football playoff and recent NFL playoff games as they often determine the entire flow of the game. The same can be said for these Scouting Bureau Rankings, as half of the list involves offensive or defensive linemen with a balance of five from either side of the ball.

The top two players overall are Mesidor and Taylor, while the entire top five are linemen with Louisville’s duo of Rene Konga and Wesley Bailey giving the defence a 3-2 advantage. Further down in 12th, East Carolina’s Darius Bell moved up one spot while Purdue pass protector Giordano Vaccaro dropped eight spots into 19th.

THE ONLY GUARANTEE…

is change. Sure the top will likely stay locked in this year with elite talent in valuable positions championing the top available draft talent with CFL eligibility, but year over year, over and over, again and again, we see last-second additions to the CFL Draft list (hello, Cameron Judge) who end up being stellar, long-term players. We are also sure to see players’ CFL Combine, interview and film review their way up and down the CFL Draft rankings ahead of the third and final edition of this list.

That process is what the dead of winter is all about in CFL Draft evaluation. Truly trying to find out what a player’s strengths, weaknesses and potential fits are that turn some guy with a name on a list into a potential household name and productive member of a Grey Cup championship-worthy club.

With temperatures dropping across much of the country, CFL team personnel are about to turn up the heat on figuring out these men.

Let the process begin.

5 takeaways from the CFL Scouting Bureau Winter edition

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