[IMPORTANT: Make this 4 times longer with much more detail]
Matthew Cauz CFL.ca @mcauz56 With the CFL Draft about two weeks away, I wanted to look back at the top picks for each franchise in recent memory. I am fighting off my urge to go full football history nerdery and do some deep dives from decades ago. Instead, I’ll focus on drafts that are less than a decade old. I know you want my thoughts on Ray Elgaard (draft class 1983) or wonder how Jon Gott (draft class 2008) fell all the way to pick No. 35 for the Calgary Stampeders, but I shall keep this to players still in the league with the majority still on the original team that drafted them. 2025 CFL Draft » Mock Draft 1.0: Who will Calgary take first overall? » Best fits for Canadian QBs in the 2025 CFL Draft » CFL Draft Stock Assessment: Running backs and linebackers » Where 9 of the CFL’s top Canadians were drafted » Subscribe to the CFL’s official YouTube channel » Subscribe to the CFL’s newsletter for exclusive offers and league updates BC LIONS DAVID KNEVEL | OL | 3RD ROUND, 2018 CFL DRAFT David Knevel is a solid contributor to the Lions offensive line at either left guard or tackle in a pinch. Injuries forced Knevel to miss the entire 2022 season and was limited last year. When healthy, this six-foot-eight, 325-pound lineman is good enough to start multiple playoff games for BC. NATHAN ROURKE | QB | 2ND ROUND, 2020 CFL DRAFT It is not hyperbole to say Nathan Rourke could go down as the greatest quarterback to come out of the CFL Draft since Russ Jackson in 1958. At just 26 years old, the best years for Rourke are still very much in front of him. With a talented group of pass-catchers, it would not be a shock to see Rourke easily eclipse his 2022 breakout season. BEN HLADIK | LB | 3RD ROUND, 2021 CFL DRAFT After a nondescript rookie season, the Lions starting middle linebacker burst onto the scene in 2022 with 59 tackles, two sacks, and a pair of picks. The following year, Ben Hladik registered his first 100+ tackle season and has been a mainstay of the middle of the Lions defence these past three years. CALGARY STAMPEDERS Quick tip of the cap to a team that over the past two decades have drafted Jon Cornish, Rob Maver , Shane Bergman and Alex Singleton in 2016. Since the draft that brought Singleton, the 2017 Most Outstanding Defensive Player award winner, here are my three favourite draft picks. RYAN SCEVIOUR | OL | 1ST ROUND, 2018 CFL DRAFT Now a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Ryan Sceviour won a Grey Cup in his rookie season with Calgary and was named a West Division All-CFL in 2022. JALEN PHILPOT | WR | 1ST ROUND, 2022 CFL DRAFT Jalen Philpot turns on the jets! 🚀 #CFLGameDay : LIVE on TSN 📲: Stream on CFL+ pic.twitter.com/w7GXlMo9Pv — CFL (@CFL) August 4, 2024 Leg injuries wiped out Jalen Philpot’s sophomore 2023 season, but the local star bounced back in a big way last year as he didn’t miss a game and accounted for 659 receiving yards and another 115 on the ground. I expect Jalen to challenge his brother for the coveted “Best Philpot in the CFL” award in 2025. CLARK BARNES | WR | 3RD ROUND, 2023 CFL DRAFT Due to better health and greater on field opportunities, Clark Barnes saw his production jump from 234 yards as a rookie to just under 600 yards last season. Still only 24 years old, Barnes has a chance to develop into a full-time starter. Before we move on, keep an eye on McGill’s defensive back Ben Labrosse, who just completed a productive rookie season with the Stamps. EDMONTON ELKS MATHIEU BETTS | DL | 1ST ROUND, 2019 CFL DRAFT I feel like I’m doing Edmonton wrong by including Mathieu Betts considering he only played eight games as a member of the Elks defence. But when you set a record for most sacks recorded by a Canadian (18 in 2023) I need to find a place for you. This is one of the tougher parts of being a sports fan; watching a player your favourite team drafted thrive somewhere else. TOMAS JACK-KURDYLA | OL | 1ST ROUND, 2020 CFL DRAFT 2024 was looking bright for the Elks fixture with Tomas Jack-Kurdyla at right guard after signing a two-year contract extension in the past off-season. Tomas went from starting every game in 2023 to injuries limiting him to a trio of games this past year. Nonetheless, he is an important part to arguably the most dynamic offence in the league. TRE FORD | QB | 1ST ROUND, 2022 CFL DRAFT Tre Ford enters the season with a brand new contract that keeps him in Edmonton until the end of the 2027 season as he finally gets the mantle of “face of the franchise”. Ford can beat a defence with his arm or his legs and has done plenty of winning. Now is the time for Tre to show he deserves all the hype that surrounds him. HAMILTON TIGER-CATS BRANDON REVENBERG | OL | 1ST ROUND, 2016 CFL DRAFT The oldest draft pick on this list, Brandon Revenberg is the definition of consistent excellence on the Tiger-Cats offensive line having earned five East Division All-CFL nominations. STAVROS KATSANTONIS | DB | 4TH ROUND, 2020 CFL DRAFT Stavros Katsantonis has hit double digits in games played every year since his 2021 rookie season. The last two years have seen Stavros put up a combined 111 tackles, three sacks, and six interceptions. KIONDRÉ SMITH | WR | 4TH ROUND, 2022 CFL DRAFT Kiondré Smith has gone from a depth receiver as a rookie to an integral part of the Tiger-Cats passing attack with career-highs across the board in catches, yards, and touchdown receptions. For his efforts, Smith was not only named the team’s Most Outstanding Canadian but was also rewarded with a two-year contract extension. Note: Apologies to offensive lineman Coulter Woodmansey ! MONTREAL ALOUETTES MARC-ANTOINE DEQUOY | DB | 2ND ROUND, 2020 CFL DRAFT The last three seasons Marc-Antoine Dequoy has forced five fumbles, picked off 11 passes, scored two touchdowns and averaged over 40 tackles per year. His production as part of the Alouettes defence has led to him being named to the past two All-CFL teams. DAVID CÔTÉ | K | 5TH ROUND, 2021 CFL DRAFT The Alouettes starting kicker, David Côté, has made 82 per cent of his field goals and was five for six in the team’s run to the Grey Cup in 2023. TYSON PHILPOT | WR | 1ST ROUND, 2022 CFL DRAFT Tyson Philpot was the CFL’s most productive receiver after nine games before that devastating foot injury. I would not be surprised to see him lead the league in the next couple years. Here’s hoping he is 100 per cent healthy soon to ensure he is on the same page with Davis Alexander. Note: Apologies for not finding room for receiver Kaion Julien-Grant and offensive lineman Pier-Olivier Lestage. OTTAWA REDBLACKS JUSTIN HOWELL | DB | 7TH ROUND, 2018 CFL DRAFT Justin Howell is one of the longest serving REDBLACKS, having appeared in 71 career games. Not bad for the latest draft pick on this list. ALONZO ADDAE | DB | 2ND ROUND, 2021 CFL DRAFT A mainstay these past two years in Ottawa’s secondary, Alonzo Addae finished with a career-high 37 tackles despite missing four games in 2024. Addae, who had a career-high four interceptions in 2023, will be in Ottawa for at least two more seasons after signing an extension back in January. ZACK PELEHOS | OL | 1ST ROUND, 2022 CFL DRAFT It has been steady growth for the former University of Ottawa star. Zack Pelehos dressed in 10 games as a rookie, started 10 games in 2023 and finally graduated to full-time fixture at right tackle this past year. Just 25 years old, Pelehos is already holding down the right side of the offensive line in playoff games. SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS JUSTIN MCINNIS | WR | 1ST ROUND, 2019 CFL DRAFT I am sorry Saskatchewan, but how do you expect me to keep 2024’s receiving leader off the list? To be fair, the team had Shaq Evans who was coming off a 1,334 yard season and Kyran Moore and Naaman Roosevelt were both just under 1,000 yards. So maybe McInnis just got lost in the shuffle. Let’s move on. NELSON LOKOMBO | LB | 1ST ROUND, 2021 CFL DRAFT I could go over his numbers and development into an excellent safety, but I’ll just mention Nelson Lokombo started for coach Corey Mace in both Riders playoff games in 2024. There’s no better sign of trust than being selected to start in the post-season. SAMUEL EMILUS | WR | 1ST ROUND, 2022 CFL DRAFT Fun fact; did you know that Samuel Emilus has just about identical receiving yards as McInnis over the past two season? Emilus had over 100 yards in the team’s playoff win over the Lions, leading every player on the field that day in that category. Note: The Riders also drafted receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker in the fourth round back in 2020. Does that help make up for what McInnis is doing in BC? TORONTO ARGONAUTS RYAN HUNTER | OL | 1ST ROUND, 2018 CFL DRAFT There really isn’t much more you can ask from an offensive lineman than what Ryan Hunter has done these past three years. He was the Argonauts starting left guard in their 2022 Grey Cup victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The following year, he earned his first of two All-CFL team selections. In 2024, Hunter hit new levels of excellence winning the league’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman award and his second Grey Cup. KURLEIGH GITTENS JR. | WR | 3RD ROUND, 2019 CFL DRAFT Kurleigh Gittens Jr. is no longer in Toronto, but he sure packed a lot of football during his Toronto tenure. In his four years with the Argonauts he earned two East Division All-CFL selections, won a Grey Cup and finished second in 2022 to Nathan Rourke for Most Outstanding Canadian in his 1,101 receiving yard season. Even his trade to Edmonton helped the team as it brought back defensive tackle Jake Ceresna , who produced at an All-CFL level for the Double Blue in 2024. PETER NICASTRO | OL | 1ST ROUND, 2021 CFL DRAFT Peter Nicastro , the starting centre for the 2024 Grey Cup champion Argonauts and the 2021 East Division All-CFL teamer, has played in 46 games these past three years. WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS BRADY OLIVEIRA | RB | 2ND ROUND, 2019 CFL DRAFT Fairly sure we can just all agree that taking the game’s best running back and future first ballot Hall of Famer, Brady Oliveira , in the second round was a shrewd move by Kyle Walters? LIAM DOBSON | OL | 1ST ROUND, 2021 CFL DRAFT Now a member of the Tiger-Cats, Liam Dobson did not miss a game in his last two years with the Bombers earning a spot on the 2024 West Division All-CFL team. REDHA KRAMDI | LB | 2ND ROUND, 2021 CFL DRAFT Redha Kramdi was a solid draft choice by the Bombers in 2021. I know their recent Grey Cup record is not what they want but there’s multiple reasons for all the winning this franchise has been doing and a big one is what happens on draft day. Even as a rookie, Kramdi saw post-season snaps and his role within the Bombers defence has grown year after year. Last season, Kramdi was a full time, 18 game starter, finishing the year with 59 tackles and two sacks. Get all the top stories from across the league delivered to your inbox.
