While the U Sports football season might be over, players are prepping for their next chapter on the gridiron.

Six Mustangs will represent Western University at the CFL combines this March — getting the chance to prove to scouts, coaches and general managers why they deserve a roster spot in the Canadian Football League. 

“They put in the time, they’ve worked tirelessly hard. To get this opportunity and be rewarded with a national or a regional combine invite is something that they would have dreamed about when they were 17, 18 or 19 years old entering this campus,” said newly hired Mustangs head coach Michael Faulds.

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Fifth-year backup quarterback Jérôme Rancourt and fifth-year offensive lineman Keegan O’Neil will head to Edmonton from March 27 to 29 for the National CFL Combine.

Despite being listed at quarterback by Western, Rancourt is positioned as a fullback and tight end on the CFL combine list — reflecting his multi-positional usage this past season.

“CFL teams are going to be interested in what he brings to the table from a fullback tight end standpoint, what he could add from a special team standpoint and then definitely not glossing over what he can do from a quarterback standpoint,” said Faulds.

With a cannon of an arm and a 6’5” frame, Rancourt has similar tools to former Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks quarterback Taylor Elgersma, who was coached by Faulds and drafted to the CFL in 2025.

“I haven’t worked with Jérôme obviously as much as I worked with Taylor. But their physical attributes and then their arm strength is obviously very similar,” said Faulds.

In the trenches, the 6’4”, 315-pound O’Neil possesses an ideal frame we could see CFL scouts drool over. 

With pro-level size and the potential to boost his draft stock in Edmonton, O’Neil could entice any CFL team looking to bolster their offensive line.

On March 6, four Mustangs will head to Waterloo, Ont. for the CFL Invitational Combine: fourth-year fullback Sandro Pierini, fourth-year defensive lineman Conner Franzisi, third-year linebacker Jude Buchanan and 2025 graduate receiver Sam La Roue.

These four Mustangs will compete against 75 other players for an invite to advance to the CFL’s national combine in Edmonton. Last year, 11 athletes were selected from the invitational combine to attend the national combine.

The 2025 CFL Draft saw six Mustangs selected: Erik Andersen, Jackson Findlay, Keanu Yazbeck, Alex Berwick, Max von Meuldorfer and Riley Macleod. 

With six Mustangs in the mix for a CFL spot in 2026, Canada’s largest football stage looks to continue attracting purple-blooded talent.