{"id":629198,"date":"2026-04-26T05:10:26","date_gmt":"2026-04-26T05:10:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/629198\/"},"modified":"2026-04-26T05:10:26","modified_gmt":"2026-04-26T05:10:26","slug":"1st-10-blue-bombers-at-the-draft-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/629198\/","title":{"rendered":"1st & 10 | Blue Bombers at the draft – Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers current regime has scored dynamic, franchise-changing touchdowns on draft day. And, on rare occasions, they\u2019ve stumbled and fumbled into their own end zone, too.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s no different for any team in any professional league, but especially so in the most unique and difficult talent selection on the planet to predict \u2014 the Canadian Football League\u2019s Canadian draft.<\/p>\n

The Blue Bombers are into the stretch run of final preparations for next Tuesday\u2019s CFL Canadian Draft \u2014\u00a0 the two-round Global Draft goes a day later \u2014 with this being the 13th homegrown talent grab led by GM Kyle Walters, head coach Mike O\u2019Shea and also including input from Senior Director of Player Personnel Eric Deslauriers and Director of Football Operations Matt Gulakow.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The biggest star they\u2019ve landed over the previous 12 incarnations of the CFL Canadian Draft is Brady Oliveira, the league\u2019s Most Outstanding Player in 2024 who was also twice named the Most Outstanding Canadian and is in the express lane to the hall of fame.<\/p>\n

Over the years they\u2019ve also selected CFL All-Stars like Tyrell Ford, Matthias Goossen and Taylor Loffler, offensive line starters like Sukh Chungh, Gabe Wallace, Liam Dobson, Michael Couture, Geoff Gray and Drew Desjarlais along with important pieces like Redha Kramdi and Kevens Clercius and valuable foot soldiers like Jesse Briggs, Shayne Gauthier, Nick Hallett and Tanner Cadwallader.<\/p>\n

Winnipeg will pick fourth overall on Tuesday \u2014 its highest spot since taking Dobson third overall in 2021 \u2014 and has all of its selections in the eight-round draft, nine in total, including four picks in the top 24.<\/p>\n

Last year\u2019s class landed six players who suited up for the club in 2025 in linebackers Connor Shay, Jaylen Smith and Lane Novak, defensive back Ethan Ball, receiver Joey Corcoran and offensive lineman Ethan Vibert while two others \u2014 quarterback Taylor Elgersma and O-lineman Iwinosa Uwubanmwen \u2014 will be on the field in just over two weeks when training camp opens.<\/p>\n

In this week\u2019s edition of 1st & 10 we revisit the past drafts for Walters & Co with Part 2 \u2014 to be posted Monday \u2014 offering a more specific preview to the 2026 CFL Canadian Draft.<\/p>\n

THE BLUE BOMBERS AT THE DRAFT<\/p>\n

A look at the 12 previous draft classes of the current Bombers management regime:<\/p>\n

2014
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Matthias Goossen (61)<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Round
\nNumber
\nPlayer
\nPosition
\nSchool<\/p>\n

1
\n2
\nMatthias Goossen
\nOL
\nSimon Fraser<\/p>\n

2
\n17
\nJesse Briggs
\nLB
\nMcGill<\/p>\n

3
\n29
\nDerek Jones
\nDB
\nSimon Fraser<\/p>\n

4
\n47
\nQuinn Everett
\nDE
\nMount Allison<\/p>\n

5
\n56
\nEisho Aram
\nLB
\nMcMaster<\/p>\n

Notes:<\/p>\n

Traded second-round selection (11th overall) and DE Alex Hall to Saskatchewan for OL Pat Neufeld and a fourth-round pick in 2015.
\nAcquired Saskatchewan\u2019s second-round pick (17th\u00a0overall) for the 20th\u00a0and 26th\u00a0overall selections.
\nAcquired Toronto\u2019s third-round selection (24th\u00a0overall) and OL Marc Parenteau for RB Anthony Woodson and a fifth-round pick in 2014 (38th\u00a0overall).
\nTraded third-round selection (24th\u00a0overall) to Calgary for CB Chris Randle and the Stampeders third-round selection (26th\u00a0overall).<\/p>\n

2015<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Sukh Chungh<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Round
\nNumber
\nPlayer
\nPosition
\nSchool<\/p>\n

1
\n2
\nSukh Chungh
\nOL
\nCalgary<\/p>\n

2
\n11
\nAddison Richards
\nWR
\nRegina<\/p>\n

2
\n15
\nBrendan Morgan
\nDB
\nQueen\u2019s<\/p>\n

4
\n33
\nChristophe Normand
\nFB
\nLaval<\/p>\n

5
\n38
\nEttore Lattanzio
\nDL
\nOttawa<\/p>\n

6
\n46
\nJustin Warden
\nLB
\nBishop\u2019s<\/p>\n

Notes:<\/p>\n

Acquired Saskatchewan\u2019s second-round selection (15th overall) and WR Kris Bastien for WR Cory Watson and a third-round selection (26th overall) in this draft.
\nTraded third-round selection (20th\u00a0overall) to Hamilton for DB Abraham Kromah.
\nAcquired fourth-round pick (33rd\u00a0overall) along with OL Patrick Neufeld in an October 2013 trade with Saskatchewan for DE Alex Hall and a second-round pick in 2014 (11th\u00a0overall).
\nTraded conditional pick (own fourth-round selection; 29th\u00a0overall) to Hamilton for QB Brian Brohm in March of 2014.
\nTraded a conditional pick (which became the 7th-round selection in this draft; 55th\u00a0overall) for QB Josh Portis.<\/p>\n

2016
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Shayne Gauthier<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Round
\nNumber
\nPlayer
\nPosition
\nSchool<\/p>\n

2
\n9
\nTrent Corney
\nDE
\nVirginia<\/p>\n

2
\n10
\nMichael Couture
\nOL
\nSimon Fraser<\/p>\n

3
\n19
\nTaylor Loffler
\nDB
\nUBC<\/p>\n

4
\n28
\nShayne Gauthier
\nLB
\nLaval<\/p>\n

5
\n37
\nZach Intzandt
\nOL
\nMcMaster<\/p>\n

6
\n46
\nRupert Butcher
\nDL
\nWestern<\/p>\n

7
\n55
\nAlex Vitt
\nWR
\nManitoba<\/p>\n

8
\n63
\nFrank Renaud
\nLB
\nWindsor<\/p>\n

Notes:<\/p>\n

Forfeited first-round pick following selection of Garrett Waggoner, DB, Dartmouth, in 2015 CFL Supplemental Draft.
\nAcquired Edmonton\u2019s second-round selection (9th\u00a0overall) and DB Selvish Capers in a trade for OL Chris Greaves.<\/p>\n

2017
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Geoff Gray (68)<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Round
\nNumber
\nPlayer
\nPosition
\nSchool<\/p>\n

1
\n1
\nFaith Ekakitie
\nDT
\nIowa<\/p>\n

1
\n8
\nGeoff Gray
\nOL
\nManitoba<\/p>\n

2
\n15
\nQadr Spooner
\nOL
\nMcGill<\/p>\n

3
\n23
\nAbubakar Conteh
\nDB
\nGrambling State<\/p>\n

4
\n34
\nFelix Menard-Briere
\nK
\nMontreal<\/p>\n

6
\n50
\nIan Marouf
\nDL
\nGuelph<\/p>\n

7
\n59
\nBrendan Thera-Plamondon
\nWR
\nCalgary<\/p>\n

8
\n68
\nTylor Henry
\nWR
\nAlberta<\/p>\n

Notes:<\/p>\n

Acquired Toronto\u2019s first-round selection (1st\u00a0overall), along with the Argos\u2019 third-round selection in the 2018 draft (26th\u00a0overall; used to select Daniel Petermann) and DB T.J. Heath in September of 2016 trade for QB Drew Willy.
\nTraded sixth overall pick to Calgary for the eighth overall selection (Gray) and the 34th\u00a0overall selection (Menard-Briere).
\nTraded fourth-round selection (32nd\u00a0overall) to Montreal in September of 2016 for QB Kevin Glenn.
\nTraded a conditional seventh-round selection to Edmonton in September of 2015 as part of the trade for QB Matt Nichols. The pick became a fifth rounder when Nichols became the Bombers starting QB.<\/p>\n

2018
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Daniel Petermann<\/p>\n

Round
\nNumber
\nPlayer
\nPosition
\nSchool<\/p>\n

2
\n12
\nRashaun Simonise
\nWR
\nCalgary<\/p>\n

3
\n26
\nDaniel Petermann
\nWR
\nMcMaster<\/p>\n

4
\n33
\nArnaud Gendron-Dumouchel
\nOL
\nMontreal<\/p>\n

5
\n41
\nTyrone Pierre
\nWR
\nLaval<\/p>\n

6
\n49
\nMatthew Ouellet De Carlo
\nOL
\nBishop\u2019s<\/p>\n

7
\n58
\nJake Firlotte
\nDB
\nQueen\u2019s<\/p>\n

8
\n67
\nBen Koczwara
\nOL
\nWaterloo<\/p>\n

Notes:<\/p>\n

Traded the seventh and 16th\u00a0overall selections in the 2018 draft to B.C. for the 12th\u00a0overall selection and the Lions\u2019 original first-round pick in 2019.
\nForfeited third-round selection following selection of Drew Wolitarsky, WR, Minnesota, in the 2017 CFL Supplemental Draft.
\nAcquired Toronto\u2019s third-round selection in the 2018 draft, used to select Daniel Petermann, as part of the 2016 Drew Willy trade, along with DB T.J. Heath, the Argonauts\u2019 first-round pick in 2017 (Faith Ekakitie).<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

2019
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Brady Oliveira<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Round
\nNumber
\nPlayer
\nPosition
\nSchool<\/p>\n

1
\n4
\nDrew Desjarlais
\nOL
\nWindsor<\/p>\n

1
\n5
\nJonathan Kongbo
\nDE
\nTennessee<\/p>\n

2
\n14
\nBrady Oliveira
\nRB
\nNorth Dakota<\/p>\n

3
\n25
\nConnor Griffiths
\nDL
\nUBC<\/p>\n

4
\n34
\nTui Eli
\nOL
\nHawaii<\/p>\n

5
\n43
\nMalik Richards
\nWR
\nMount Allison<\/p>\n

6
\n52
\nTariq LaChance
\nDL
\nManitoba<\/p>\n

7
\n61
\nNick Hallett
\nDB
\nToronto<\/p>\n

8
\n70
\nKerfalla Exum\u00e9
\nDB
\nMontreal<\/p>\n

Notes:<\/p>\n

Acquired B.C.\u2019s first-round selection in this draft (4th\u00a0overall) and a second-round pick in 2018 (12th\u00a0overall) for the 7th\u00a0and 16th\u00a0overall selections in 2018.<\/p>\n

2020
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Tanner Cadwallader<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Round
\nNumber
\nPlayer
\nPosition
\nSchool<\/p>\n

2
\n18
\nNoah Hallett
\nDB
\nMcMaster<\/p>\n

4
\n37
\nBrendan O\u2019Leary-Orange
\nWR
\nNevada<\/p>\n

5
\n39
\nMarc Liegghio
\nK
\nWestern<\/p>\n

5
\n46
\nNicholas Dheilly
\nDL
\nSaskatchewan<\/p>\n

6
\n55
\nKyle Rodger
\nLB
\nOttawa<\/p>\n

7
\n64
\nTanner Cadwallader
\nLB
\nWilfrid Laurier<\/p>\n

8
\n73
\nBleska Kambamba
\nDB
\nWestern<\/p>\n

Notes:<\/p>\n

Traded first-round pick (9th\u00a0overall) and third-round selection (28th\u00a0overall) to Toronto for QB Zach Collaros and a fifth-round pick (39th\u00a0overall).<\/p>\n

2021
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Redha Kramdi<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Round
\nNumber
\nPlayer
\nPosition
\nSchool<\/p>\n

1
\n3
\nLiam Dobson
\nOL
\nMaine<\/p>\n

2
\n16
\nRedha Kramdi
\nDB
\nMontreal<\/p>\n

3
\n21
\nPatrice Rene
\nDB
\nNorth Carolina<\/p>\n

4
\n34
\nRobbie Lowes
\nLB
\nRegina<\/p>\n

5
\n39
\nKyle Borsa
\nLB
\nRegina<\/p>\n

6
\n48
\nShae Weekes
\nDB
\nManitoba<\/p>\n

Notes:<\/p>\n

The cancellation of the 2020 CFL season due to the COVID-19 pandemic led to changes for the draft, including the order of selection as there were no standings from \u201920. The draft order was set by a random draw, with Winnipeg landing third overall selection. In the even-numbered rounds the reverse order was used for more balance in the selections.
\nThe number of rounds was reduced to six from eight because two draft classes \u2013 2020 and 2021 would be in camp that spring.
\nTraded the 52nd\u00a0overall selection and the rights to OL Cody Speller for the 48th\u00a0overall pick.<\/p>\n

2022
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Tyrell Ford<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Round
\nNumber
\nPlayer
\nPosition
\nSchool<\/p>\n

2
\n13
\nTyrell Ford
\nDB
\nWaterloo<\/p>\n

4
\n38
\nCole Adamson
\nDL
\nManitoba<\/p>\n

5
\n47
\nChris Ciguineau
\nDB
\nOttawa<\/p>\n

6
\n56
\nJeremy Kapelanski
\nDL
\nGuelph<\/p>\n

7
\n65
\nCedrick Lavigne
\nDB
\nCarleton<\/p>\n

8
\n74
\nKonner Burtenshaw
\nFB
\nQueen\u2019s<\/p>\n

Notes:<\/p>\n

Ford played his rookie year with the Blue Bombers in 2022, then signed with the Green Bay Packers. He returned to the club in 2024 and was a CFL All-Star and has since signed with the Edmonton Elks to play with his twin brother, Tre.
\nTraded the ninth and 18th\u00a0overall selections to Montreal for defensive tackle Cameron Lawson and the 13th\u00a0overall selection (Ford) in the draft.
\nRound three selection was traded as part of the deal with B.C. in 2021 for kicker Sergio Castillo. Pick was a conditional fourth rounder but upgraded to a third afterwards.<\/p>\n

2023
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Tanner Schmekel<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Round
\nNumber
\nPlayer
\nPosition
\nSchool<\/p>\n

1
\n8
\nAnthony Bennett
\nDE
\nRegina<\/p>\n

2
\n15
\nJake Kelly
\nDB
\nBishop\u2019s<\/p>\n

3
\n26
\nJeremy Murphy
\nWR
\nConcordia<\/p>\n

4
\n35
\nTanner Schmekel
\nDL
\nRegina<\/p>\n

5
\n44
\nCollin Kornelson
\nDL
\nManitoba<\/p>\n

6
\n53
\nBreton MacDougall
\nDB
\nWindsor<\/p>\n

7
\n62
\nJonathan Rosery
\nRB
\nAlberta<\/p>\n

8
\n71
\nMax Charbonneau
\nLB
\nOttawa<\/p>\n

Notes:<\/p>\n

Bennett played in all 18 games and the playoffs as a rookie for the Blue Bombers in 2023 but missed the entire 2024 season with an injury. He signed with the Montreal Alouettes this winter.<\/p>\n

2024
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Kevens Clercius<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Round
\nNumber
\nPlayer
\nPosition
\nSchool<\/p>\n

2
\n13
\nKevens Clercius
\nWR
\nConnecticut<\/p>\n

2
\n14
\nMichael Chris-Ike
\nRB
\nDelaware State<\/p>\n

2
\n17
\nGabe Wallace
\nOL
\nBuffalo<\/p>\n

2
\n20
\nKyle Samson
\nDL
\nUBC<\/p>\n

4
\n37
\nIan Leroux
\nLS
\nLaval<\/p>\n

5
\n40
\nEthan Kalra
\nOL
\nWaterloo<\/p>\n

5
\n46
\nGiovanni Manu
\nOL
\nUBC<\/p>\n

6
\n55
\nAK Gassama
\nWR
\nManitoba<\/p>\n

7
\n64
\nMichael Vlahogiannis
\nOL
\nMcGill<\/p>\n

8
\n73
\nOwen Hubert
\nDE
\nMcMaster<\/p>\n

Notes:<\/p>\n

The Blue Bombers traded their first-round pick, 8th overall, and their third-round selection, 28th overall to Calgary for the 13th and 14th picks.
\nThe 20th overall selection at the end of the second round was earned by the Blue Bombers for being one of two teams with the highest number of Canadian player snaps in 2023.
\nWinnipeg secured an extra fifth-round pick (used to select Ethan Kalra) as part of the deal that sent QB Dru Brown\u2019s negotiation rights to Ottawa prior to him becoming a free agent.<\/p>\n

2025
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Connor Shay<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Round
\nNumber
\nPlayer
\nPosition
\nSchool<\/p>\n

1
\n6
\nConnor Shay
\nLB
\nWyoming<\/p>\n

2
\n15
\nJaylen Smith
\nLB
\nNorth Texas<\/p>\n

2
\n18
\nTaylor Elgersma
\nQB
\nWilfrid Laurier<\/p>\n

3
\n27
\nEthan Vibert
\nOL
\nSouth Dakota State<\/p>\n

5
\n39
\nJoey Corcoran
\nWR
\nNew Hampshire<\/p>\n

5
\n45
\nLane Novak
\nLB
\nSaskatchewan<\/p>\n

6
\n54
\nEthan Ball
\nDB
\nCalgary<\/p>\n

7
\n63
\nTrey Laing
\nDL
\nEastern Michigan<\/p>\n

8
\n71
\nIwinosa Uwubanmwen
\nOL
\nAlberta<\/p>\n

Notes:<\/p>\n

The Blue Bombers traded the 8th overall pick in the CFL Global Draft, DT Kyle Samson and the 36th selection in the 2025 CFL Draft to Hamilton for RB Matthew Peterson, second overall selection in the 2025 CFL Global Draft and the 39th pick in the CFL Canadian Draft.
\nWinnipeg then used their Global pick on DE Kemari Munier-Bailey and the 39th selection on Corcoran.
\nThe Blue Bombers again earned an extra pick at the end of the second round for being one of two teams with the highest number of Canadian player snap counts and used it to select Elgersma.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Winnipeg Blue Bombers current regime has scored dynamic, franchise-changing touchdowns on draft day. And, on rare occasions,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":629199,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[437],"tags":[49,48,521,522,520,82],"class_list":["post-629198","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cfl","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-canadian-football-league","tag-canadianfootballleague","tag-cfl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/629198","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=629198"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/629198\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/629199"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=629198"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=629198"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=629198"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}