As the dust settles at the CFL Combine in Edmonton, attention now turns to draft boards across the league.

As the dust settles at the CFL Combine in Edmonton, attention now turns to draft boards across the league. With testing complete, interviews wrapped up and on-field drills in the books, the CFL’s nine teams are now in evaluation mode as they prepare for next month’s draft.

According to 3DownNation.com reporter J.C. Abbott, a handful of prospects did more than show up; they significantly boosted their stock.

At the top of that list was Queen’s offensive tackle Niklas Henning, who delivered what may have been the most eye-opening performance of the entire combine.

“I think there was a couple people who really aided their case. The big star to me was Niklas Henning,” Abbott said. “I knew he was a freak going in.”

Henning’s path to this point has been anything but conventional.

Just two years ago, he was an All-Canadian tight end at Queen’s before making the move to offensive tackle in hopes of improving his professional prospects.

The transition appears to be paying off.

Despite adding the size needed for the offensive line, Henning has maintained elite athleticism, highlighted by a 4.9-second 40-yard dash, a remarkable time for a lineman.

Abbott noted it was the first sub-five-second 40 by an offensive lineman at the CFL Combine in a decade, a performance that has already caught the attention of NFL scouts.

“There are already NFL teams calling CFL staffers and Henning’s camp asking, ‘Who is this guy?’” Abbott said.

Another player who turned heads was linebacker Eric Rascoe from Angelo State.

A late addition to the draft class after securing Canadian citizenship, Rascoe entered the combine as somewhat of an unknown, but quickly changed that perception.

Abbott said Rascoe tested exceptionally well and looked comfortable adapting to the Canadian game, while also impressing teams during interviews.

For clubs looking to gauge his commitment to playing north of the border, Abbott said the answers were exactly what they wanted to hear.

“In a lot of ways, he seems gung-ho about it,” Abbott said. “I think he really helped himself.”

One of the more intriguing storylines from the combine came from McGill quarterback Eloa Latendresse-Regimbald.

Expected to transition to receiver at the professional level, Latendresse-Regimbald impressed during drills at a position many converted quarterbacks struggle to adjust to.

Abbott said the McGill product looked smooth and natural, drawing comparisons to former CFL star Brad Sinopoli, who successfully made the same switch earlier in his career.

“He’s an incredible athlete.”

With the combine now in the rear-view mirror, teams will spend the coming weeks finalizing their draft lists and weighing which of these standout performers could become the next impact CFL player.

The full conversation with Abbott can be heard at SportsCage.com.

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