The 2026 CFL Canadian Draft has come and gone with plenty to discuss.
Every year we say we didn’t expect some names to come off the board, but this time it happened earlier, more often, and with some names I didn’t expect to see at all coming off the board.
Teams will logically defend their decision making whenever a pick is called into question, but they should also be rightfully celebrated for those that landed with widespread approval.
Throwing a grade at each team is never easy because, like in life, there are pros and cons to all draft classes. That said, here is a letter to symbolize their respective nights.
CFL CANADIAN DRAFT
» View full results from the 2026 CFL Canadian Draft
» A team-by-team look at the 2026 CFL Canadian Draft
» 4 things you may have missed from the 2026 CFL Canadian Draft
» REDBLACKS sign first overall pick Giordano Vaccaro
» 8 NCAA prospects drafted in the first round
BC LIONS
GRADE: A
Player
Position
School
Selection
Nate DeMontagnac
REC
North Dakota
1st Round (7th)
Jett Elad
DB
Rutgers
2nd Round (15th)
Pierre Kemeni
DB
Ohio
4th Round (36th)
Nick Cenacle
REC
Hawaii
5th Round (45th)
Ethan Graham
OL
Regina
6th Round (54th)
Chase Henning
LB
UBC
7th Round (63rd)
Ebenezer Dibula
DL
Kennesaw State
8th Round (72nd)
Nathan Rourke gets his new toys, the defence gets some added defensive back depth and a few big bodies enter the developmental pipeline.
A smart, sound draft from a team that didn’t have many high-value picks.
EDMONTON ELKS
GRADE: B+
Player
Position
School
Selection
Dariel Djabome
LB
Rutgers
1st Round (3rd)
Benjamin Sangmuah
DB
UBC
2nd Round (12th)
Wesley Bailey
DL
Louisville
2nd Round (19th)
Carter Kettyle
REC
Alberta
3rd Round (21st)
Spencer Walsh
OL
Wilfrid Laurier
4th Round (32nd)
Justin Pace
LB
Queen’s
4th Round (35th)
Chris Pashula
OL
Calgary
6th Round (50th)
Eloa Latendresse-Regimbald
QB/REC
McGill
7th Round (58th)
Matthew Ljuden
OL
Alberta
7th Round (59th)
Rutgers’ linebacker Dariel Djabome is such a great player and his ability to move around with or behind Joel Dublanko is a tremendous way to build the Canadian front.
The Elks also added some ‘futures’ picks that included a few developmental linemen, local receivers, high-value tackling linebackers and a super athletic dual-threat quarterback. That gets the big thumbs up from me.
CALGARY STAMPEDERS
GRADE: A-
Player
Position
School
Selection
Eric Rascoe
LB
Angelo State
1st Round (6th)
Jesulayomi Ojutalayo
REC
Wilfrid Laurier
3rd Round (26th)
Tristan Marois
DL
Colorado
3rd Round (27th)
Matt Sibley
REC
Calgary
5th Round (44th)
Mitchel Schechinger
OL
Guelph
6th Round (53rd)
Steven Kpehe
DL
Queen’s
7th Round (62nd)
Jack Warrack
OL
Saskatchewan
8th Round (71st)
Angelo State’s linebacker Eric Rascoe and Wilfrid Laurier’s receiver Jesulayomi Ojutalayo were two of my favourite players at the CFL Combine presented by Anytime Fitness Canada.
Colorado’s defensive lineman Tristan Marois also impressed me at the combine with his energy in every rep, while Calgary’s receiver Matt Sibley has quickness that should get him open. That potentially creates a Calgary-Dinos-to-Calgary-Stampeders receiver crew headlined by star receiver Jalen Philpot.
SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
GRADE: A
Player
Position
School
Selection
Malcolm Bell
DB
Michigan State
1st Round (9th)
Dylan Djete
REC
Alabama State
2nd Round (18th)
Darius Bell
OL
East Carolina
3rd Round (29th)
Osasere Odemwingie
LB
Calgary
4th Round (38th)
Jez Janvier
OL
Southern Mississippi
5th Round (47th)
Albert Reese IV
OL
Mississippi State
6th Round (56th)
Shemar McBean
REC
UBC
7th Round (65th)
Ryan Speight
FB
Wilfrid Laurier
8th Round (74th)
Michigan State defensive back Malcolm Bell is going to be a problem if and when he gets to the CFL, while undersized-but-hyper-fast receiver Dylan Djete went earlier than expected.
East Carolina offensive lineman Darius Bell, Calgary linebacker Osasare Odemwingie and the rest of their highly capable and talented class have restocked multiple positions for the Riders.
WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
GRADE: B-
Player
Position
School
Selection
Nuer Gatkuoth
DL
Wake Forest
1st Round (4th)
Dante Daniels
TE
North Carolina State
2nd Round (10th)
Kevin Cline
OL
Boston College
2nd Round (20th)
Charles-Elliot Bouliane
LB
Montreal
3rd Round (24th)
Ethan Stuart
DB
McMaster
4th Round (33rd)
Brody Clark
LB
York
5th Round (42nd)
Benjamin Britton
REC
Calgary
6th Round (51st)
Joshua Jack
REC
Saint Mary’s
7th Round (60th)
Brady Lidster
K
Windsor
8th Round (69th)
Wake Forest defensive lineman Nuer Gatkuoth is a nice piece if he continues to develop lower body power that a pro defensive ends requires.
The selection of North Carolina tight end Dante Daniels pick had me dazed and confused for a solid round on Tuesday. I tried to understand the fit and usage rate expected from the big bodied, primarily blocking tight end who doesn’t show true tackle instincts if he were to throw some weight on and switch positions.
Getting McMaster defensive back Ethan Stuart and York linebacker Brody Clark is great value. Mike O’Shea also added another kicker in the pipeline capable of 50+ yards walk-off wins in Windsor’s Brady Lister.
HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
GRADE: B
Player
Position
School
Selection
Jonathan Denis
OL
Louisiana Tech
1st Round (5th)
Malick Meiga
REC
Coastal Carolina
2nd Round (14th)
Devynn Cromwell
DB
Michigan State
3rd Round (25th)
Brayden Szeman
OL
Calgary
4th Round (34th)
Loïk Gagné
LB
Concordia
5th Round (43rd)
Marc Djonay Rondeau
LB
Ottawa
6th Round (52nd)
Aamarii Notice
DL
Coastal Carolina
7th Round (61st)
Kyler Laing
DL
Mercyhurst College
8th Round (70th)
I hope Jonathan Denis can stay healthy but you never know with a history like his.
The real upside here comes in the form of Coastal Carolina receiver Malick Meiga, Michigan State defensive back Devynn Cromwell and centre Brayden Szeman, who has legitimate starting middle man potential within the next few years.
TORONTO ARGONAUTS
GRADE: C+
Player
Position
School
Selection
Niklas Henning
OL
Queen’s
1s Round (2nd)
Isaiah Smith
RB
Guelph
2nd Round (11th)
Ethan John
DB
Windsor
2nd Round (16th)
Louis-Philippe Gauthier
DB
Montreal
3rd Round (22nd)
Darius McKenzie
LB
South Alabama
3rd Round (23rd)
Nolan Ulm
REC
Eastern Washington
4th Round (30th)
Frank Vreugdenhil
OL
McMaster
5th Round (40th)
Tyriq Quayson
REC
Windsor
6th Round (49th)
Nathan Walker
K
York
7th Round (57th)
Weagbe Mombo
RB
Windsor
8th Round (67th)
Sebastian Parsalidis
FB
Wilfrid Laurier
8th Round (68th)
Queen’s offensive lineman Niklas Henning is a tremendous player who I hope will grow into a long term All-CFL threat, but picking a running back in the second round because there weren’t many others available doesn’t feel overly inspired.
Windsor’s Ethan John is a scrappy undersized defensive back which was a theme of the Argos draft. Their choice to take receiver Nolan Ulm and offensive lineman Frank Vreugdenhil might just save the Double Blue 2026 class depth.
OTTAWA REDBLACKS
GRADE: A
Player
Position
School
Selection
Giordano Vaccaro
OL
Purdue
1st Round (1st)
Émeric Boutin
FB
Laval
2nd Round (13th)
Charlie Parks
DL
Saskatchewan
4th Round (31st)
Alassane Diouf
OL
Montreal
5th Round (39th)
Benjamin Dobson
LB
Calgary
5th Round (41st)
Rene Konga
DL
Louisville
6th Round (48th)
Josh Connors
LB
Wilfrid Laurier
8th Round (66th)
As always, the class will be defined by the top overall pick, but addressing needs is the name of the game here.
Émeric Boutin stands next in line to be a long term fullback starter who can do much more than block. Meanwhile, Charlie Parks works in behind Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund to hone his pass-rushing skills and the back end of Calgary’s Benjamin Dobson, Louisville’s Rene Konga, and Wilfrid Laurier’s Josh Connors might be the best last three picks of the selection show.
MONTREAL ALOUETTES
GRADE: B-
Player
Position
School
Selection
Rohan Jones
TE
Arkansas
1st Round (8th)
Shakespeare Louis
DB
Southeastern Louisiana
2nd Round (17th)
Nathan Udoh
REC
Manitoba
3rd Round (28th)
Liam Talbot
RB
Windsor
4th Round (37th)
Harrison Daley
DB
Windsor
5th Round (46th)
Michael Horvat
K/P
McMaster
6th Round (55th)
Cyrus McGarrell
DB
Northern Illinois
7th Round (64th)
Zachary Houde
REC
St. Francis Xavier
8th Round (73rd)
If first round pick Rohan Jones arrives on the scene this grade improves dramatically. That said, the Alouettes will be unbothered by a B- because they’ve done such a great job building depth on their roster that they can afford to spend a pick hoping someone like Jones comes North.
The selection of Southern Louisiana defensive back Shakespeare Louis in the second round felt like a reach to me, but the solid size and positional variety of their subsequent picks, plus a top notch kicker/punter prospect in Michael Horvat, means the Als are doing just fine.