{"id":560544,"date":"2026-03-25T21:10:14","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T21:10:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/560544\/"},"modified":"2026-03-25T21:10:14","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T21:10:14","slug":"who-to-look-out-for-at-every-position-at-the-cfl-combine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/560544\/","title":{"rendered":"Who to look out for at every position at the CFL Combine"},"content":{"rendered":"

You blink, and all of the sudden it\u2019s CFL Combine week. That means the draft is nearly a month away, and preseason football kicks off in less than two months.<\/p>\n

Time really does fly.<\/p>\n

And time will be of the essence for the 83 prospects at the combine in Edmonton this weekend, as they\u2019ll go through athletic testing, team interviews, and on-field drills during the three-day event.<\/p>\n

Earlier this month, we broke down the Invitational Combine position-by-position<\/a>. We\u2019ll do a similar thing here by taking a look at the names to keep an eye on at each position.<\/p>\n

Quarterback<\/p>\n

\"\"McGill Eloa Latendresse-Regimbald MONTREAL, CANADA – AUGUST 22: McGill Redbirds Football v Sherbrooke on August 22, 2025 in Montreal, QC, Canada. (Photo by Vitor Munhoz \/ McGill Athletics) (McGill) <\/p>\n

Participants: Eloa Latendresse-Regimbald (McGill), Christian Veilleux (Georgia State), Josh Janssen (Ottawa)<\/p>\n

Latendresse-Regimbald and Veilleux each bring their own unique intrigue to the quarterback position in this year\u2019s class.<\/p>\n

A former U Sports Most Outstanding Rookie of the Year, Latendresse-Regimbald offers an interesting blend of size (listed at 6-foot-4) and rushing ability, having put up 2,615 yards (8.7 yards per carry) and 31 touchdowns along the ground across four seasons at the helm of McGill.<\/p>\n

Veilleux, on the other hand, was a four-star recruit out of high school before committing to a Power Five program at Penn State. He then transferred to Pittsburgh before ending up at Georgia State, amassing 3,863 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions across his five years in college.<\/p>\n

Both could be potential draft picks, which is not something you can say about every Canadian quarterback.<\/p>\n

Running Back<\/p>\n

\"\"Liam Talbot Windsor (Windsor Lancers) <\/p>\n

Participants: Isaiah Smith (Guelph), Charles Asselin (Ottawa), Weagbe Mombo (Windsor), Liam Talbot (Windsor)<\/p>\n

Only four backs will be at this year\u2019s combine, and while Smith (who is expected to test well), Asselin, and Mombo all have the production, the most eyes may be on the Invitational callup Liam Talbot.<\/p>\n

Talbot set the testing on fire in Waterloo earlier this month to earn his way to Edmonton, basically recording identical numbers to current Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard. He has seen limited game action throughout his time in U Sports, though he averaged 7.3 yards per carry on 88 rushing attempts, so the on-field workouts will be big for his stock.<\/p>\n

2021 Chuba Hubbard’s scores compared to Liam Talbot’s Invitational performance below, a pretty close match:<\/p>\n

Height: 6000
Weight: 210
Bench: 20
Vertical: 36
Broad: 10’0
40 yard: 4.51
3-Cone: 7.28
Shuttle: 4.30#CFL<\/a> #CFLDraft<\/a> #usports<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/AoVB6Ger46<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Coty Wiles (@CotyWiless) March 9, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Fullback<\/p>\n

\"\"Emeric Boutin (Laval) <\/p>\n

Participants: Emeric Boutin (Laval), Jerome Rancourt (Western), Evan Basalyga (Waterloo), Sebastian Parsalidis (Laurier)<\/p>\n

In an unusually deep fullback class, Laval\u2019s Emeric Boutin is the main man to watch.<\/p>\n

The two-time first-team All-Canadian put up a modest 24 catches for 380 yards and three touchdowns in 16 games over the past two seasons, but is expected to shine in the on-field workouts and athletic testing.<\/p>\n

While Boutin is the headliner at fullback, Western\u2019s Jerome Rancourt is an intriguing Swiss Army knife who has lined up at quarterback, running back, and wide receiver as well, while Waterloo\u2019s Evan Basalyga is expected to test well.<\/p>\n

Wide Receiver<\/p>\n

\"\"Nick Cenacle Hawaii (Hawaii) <\/p>\n

Participants: Nick Cenacle (Hawaii), Malick Meiga (Coastal Carolina), Nate Demontagnac (North Dakota), Shemar McBean (UBC), Carter Kettyle (Alberta), Jesulayomi Ojutalayo (Laurier), Dylan Djete (Alabama State), Devaughn Blackwood (St. Francis Xavier), Joshua Jack (Saint Mary\u2019s), Barron Miles Jr. (Grambling State), Nathan Udoh (Manitoba), Tyriq Quayson (Windsor), Matt Sibley (Calgary)<\/p>\n

Six names headline the wide receiver group \u2013 three from the NCAA and three from U Sports.<\/p>\n

Hawaii\u2019s Cenacle \u2013 who was a late addition \u2013 Coastal Carolina\u2019s Meiga, and North Dakota\u2019s Demontagnac have all produced at the NCAA level and all put up intriguing numbers at their pro days, especially Meiga.<\/p>\n

Alberta\u2019s Kettyle, UBC\u2019s McBean, and Laurier\u2019s Ojutalayo stand out amongst the U Sports group. The latter has been an elite special teamer for the Golden Hawks while emerging offensively throughout his career and is expected to test extremely well, while Kettyle and McBean boast some of the strongest production profiles in the class (both are also expected to test well too).<\/p>\n

Offensive Line<\/p>\n

\"\"Niklas Henning Queen’s (Queen’s) <\/p>\n

Participants: Giordano Vaccaro (Purdue), Darius Bell (East Carolina), Jonathan Denis (Louisiana Tech), Jez Janvier (Southern Mississippi), Alassane Diouf (Montreal), Spencer Walsh (Laurier), Niklas Henning (Queen\u2019s), Franklin Ibelo (Calgary), Chris Pashula (Calgary), Brayden Szeman (Calgary), Ethan Graham (Regina), Keegan O\u2019Neil (Western), Chidera Oragui (St. Francis Xavier), Riley Scheffer (UBC), Jack Warrack (Saskatchewan), Frank Vreugdenhil (McMaster), Mitchel Schechinger (Guelph), Carter Stuart (Alberta), Victor Olaniran (Manitoba)<\/p>\n

It\u2019s an impressive group of offensive lineman that will gather in Edmonton, though the big three of NCAA protectors won\u2019t be testing, as Purdue\u2019s Giordano Vaccaro, East Carolina\u2019s Darius Bell, and Louisiana Tech\u2019s Jonathan Denis have opted to let to let their pro day numbers stand.<\/p>\n

That leaves Henning, who is expected to blow up the combine in Alberta\u2019s capital in a 6-foot-6 frame. The former big-bodied fullback is a two-time second-team All-Canadian and two-time OUA first-team all-star.<\/p>\n

Guelph\u2019s Schechinger, Regina\u2019s Graham, Western\u2019s O\u2019Neil, McMaster\u2019s Vreugdenhil, and Calgary\u2019s Ibelo – whose converting back to his high school offensive line position after playing defensive line with the Dinos \u2013 are all worth mentioning as well.<\/p>\n

Defensive Line<\/p>\n

\"\"Aamarii Notice (Coastal Carolina) <\/p>\n

Participants: Charlie Parks (Saskatchewan), Tristan Marois (Colorado), Carter Hooper (South Dakota), Kyler Laing (Mercyhurst), Brody Burke (Carleton), Nathan Carabatsakis (Robert Morris), Steven Kpehe (Queen\u2019s), Aamarii Notice (Coastal Carolina), Ebenezer Dibula (Kennesaw State), Natale Frangione (Fordham)<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll start on the edge, where Saskatchewan\u2019s Parks stands out.<\/p>\n

After a back injury limited the Regina native to two games in 2024, Parks had a monster year in 2025, earning a first-team All-Canadian nod, as well as Canada West\u2019s Most Outstanding Lineman award.<\/p>\n

Up the middle, Notice will be someone to take notice of.<\/p>\n

Ranked No.16 in the CFL\u2019s Winter Edition of the Scouting Bureau, the Toronto native was productive throughout college at Idaho and Coastal Carolina, and is expected to perform well in Edmonton with pro ready size.<\/p>\n

As long as both test well, there wouldn\u2019t be many concerns with either.<\/p>\n

Linebacker<\/p>\n

\"\"Justin Pace Queen’s (Queen’s) <\/p>\n

Participants: Darius McKenzie (South Alabama), Justin Pace (Queen\u2019s), Eric Rascoe (Angelo State), Yunus Larry (Guelph), Brody Clark (York), Charles-Elliot Bouliane (Montreal), Loik Gagne (Concordia), Jaxxon Brashear (Ottawa), Marc Rondeau (Ottawa), Osasere Odemwingie (Calgary), Benjamin Dobson (Calgary)<\/p>\n

According to scouts, linebacker is one of the deepest positions in this year\u2019s class outside of either side of the line of scrimmage. One of the better prospects, South Alabama\u2019s Darius McKenzie, won\u2019t be testing after suffering an ankle injury late in the season, however.<\/p>\n

Three U Sports backers are more than worth tracking though, in Justin Pace (Queen\u2019s), Osasere Odemwingie (Calgary), and Loik Gagne (Concordia).<\/p>\n

Pace is a two-time OUA all-star and one-team first-team All-Canadian with the Gaels, Odemwingie, like Pace, was ultra productive across four seasons with the Dinos, and Gagne should clock in as one of the faster linebackers in the class.<\/p>\n

Defensive Back<\/p>\n

\"\"Benjamin Sangmuah UBC (UBC) <\/p>\n

Participants: Devynn Cromwell (Michigan State), Benjamin Sangmuah (UBC), Patrick Cumberbatch (Ottawa), Trae Tomlinson (Louisiana), Harrison Daley (Windsor), Ethan John (Windsor), Shakespeare Louis (Southeastern Louisiana), Denny Ferdinand (Ottawa), Cyrus McGarrell (Northern Illinois), Pierre Kemeni (Ohio), Carson Sombach (Regina), Ethan Stuart (McMaster), Louis-Philippe Gauthier (Montreal), Gianni Green (Guelph)<\/p>\n

Overall it\u2019s a very athletic group of defensive backs, with UBC\u2019s Sangmuah, Ottawa\u2019s Cumberbatch, Montreal\u2019s Gauthier, and Regina\u2019s Sombach all expected to destroy the testing.<\/p>\n

Devynn Cromwell might have topped the cake, however, but won\u2019t be testing in Edmonton (Kemeni, Louis, and Tomlinson won\u2019t test either) after suffering a lower-body injury at Michigan State\u2019s pro day.<\/p>\n

Before getting hurt, Cromwell put up 40.5 inches on the vertical jump, an 11-foot-3 broad jump, and 18 reps on the bench press. Among all Canadian prospects since 2006 (including pro days), the safety\u2019s vertical ranked in the 98th percentile, his bench press ranked in the 94th percentile, and only one player among any position (Shai Ross) posted a farther broad jump.<\/p>\n

Despite Cromwell and the other NCAA defensive backs opting not to test, the aforementioned four U Sports defenders are worth keeping an eye on, as well as Invitational callups Ethan John and Gianni Green.<\/p>\n