[IMPORTANT: Make this 4 times longer with much more detail]
Jamie Nye CFL.ca @jamienye The CFL Combine is ready to go in Regina this week. It’s a chance for the best young Canadian prospects to showcase their skills for the nine CFL teams looking to improve their National depth this spring at the CFL Draft. And for another year, it is I who will give each team unsolicited advice on which position group they should be watching. This isn’t simply looking at each team’s roster and showcasing a position where they may lack some positional depth. I’m a big believer that it isn’t about having National depth at every position but it more indicating where a team should be focusing their organizational priority based on depth that might already be established. CFL COMBINE » View the full 2025 CFL Combine roster » 5 prospects to watch at the 2025 CFL Combine » 3 things to know about the CFL Combine » 5 things to keep an eye on at the CFL Combine » Subscribe to the CFL’s newsletter For instance, the Saskatchewan Roughriders have Kian Schaffer-Baker and Samuel Emilus locked in as starters, but that means as an organization they’re looking at two starting National spots in the receiving corps. Receiver may just be where the Riders need to ensure they have enough positional depth in case of injury so they’re not left scrambling. They did lose Ajou Ajou to the NFL this off-season, who of course made a name for himself due to some injuries early last season. So let’s head around the league and tell some smart football people how to do their jobs. MONTREAL ALOUETTES – RECEIVER The Alouettes saw a few key Nationals move on this off-season from all around their roster. Besides a couple of retirements, the Als also saw offensive lineman Philippe Gagnon move to the Riders and receiver Kaion Julien-Grant departing in free agency. So where should Danny Maciocia’s crew be watching more so than anywhere other than EVERYWHERE? I’m going to place them at receiver! Both Nate Behar and Kaion Julien-Grant were asked to step in at receiver with Tyson Philpot ’s injury. Behind Philpot this year is a lot of unknowns. Régis Cibasu has a total of nine catches in his career, Shedler Fervius has seven and Daniel Oladejo has four. That is a huge drop in experience if Philpot were to go down again. Maciocia needs a deep look at who can help out. The Alouettes will also need defensive line help as well but with the plethora of top end options in that position group, I think a lot of attention should be on finding a diamond in the rough in a less deep receiver pool this year. OTTAWA REDBLACKS – SPECIAL TEAMS The REDBLACKS were able to do something last season a lot of teams could only dream of doing and that is rolling out Nationals across the entire offensive line. With the addition of Peter Godber this off-season, they’ve added even more depth to the group with an experienced centre. Whether it’s four or five National starters for the REDBLACKS, that gives them tremendous flexibility across the makeup of their entire roster in 2025. But they do have some holes to fill! I’m going to do something I’ve never done before writing this piece and that’s focus on athletic special teamers. Yes, there is no ratio for punt and kick return/cover, but you rarely want too many of your defensive starters sprinting down on special teams and then trying to turn around. With only one linebacker and a handful of National defensive backs signed, I’m looking at the REDBLACKS focusing in on a linebacker or defensive back that can take some pressure of American starting defensive players, but of course in the years to come can step into a starting role. Sure you’d like more receiving depth, but the REDBLACKS may not even have a starting Canadian receiver if they can go with five Nationals along the o-line. TORONTO ARGONAUTS – DEFENSIVE BACK DEFENSIVE BACK!!! Zero hesitation for the Argonauts on this one. They need help with their National depth at defensive back. Traditionally, yes, you can go with an all American backfield, but the Argonauts need options after losing a few veteran Nationals this off-season and having one spot there for a National in the back end can work wonders for your flexibility. The Argos used to have decent depth back there but recently they’ve seen it depleted. It’s time to restock the shelves! I’m guessing you could see the Argos draft at least two defensive backs in this year’s draft even if they are later round gems. HAMILTON TIGER-CATS – DEFENSIVE LINE/LINEBACKER DL Ted Laurent retired in 2024 after 12 seasons in the CFL (The Canadian Press) Looking over the Tiger-Cats depth, they have six solid options for their seven National spots. Where they need help with their depth is the front seven on defence. Long gone are the days where you just had Ted Laurent locked in with some depth defensive linemen ready to go behind him. They don’t have that guy any more in the front seven on defence. I’m stretching the rules here by going linebacker/defensive line. But that’s where the attention needs to be with the likelihood they need at least a rotational piece to be there to rotate with a nationalized American. The good news is that the Tiger-Cats should be able to find a few players to draft early at these positions in this year’s draft class. WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS – OFFENSIVE LINE OL Liam Dobson signed with the Tiger-Cats in the off-season (Jimmy Jeong/CFL.ca) Usually I put a disclaimer on this piece that I never say offensive line because it’s a given that all CFL teams will be looking at offensive linemen. Duh! But the Bombers are so desperate for depth, I left the disclaimer out this time because of Winnipeg. They should draft three of them and possibly with their first three picks! They had some key departures in recent free agency periods, with names like Drew Desjarlais, Liam Dobson , Michael Couture, to name a few, signing elsewhere. Now they’re really thin at a spot they traditionally roll out three starters. There were times they did go three American because of Patrick Neufeld ’s injury but that is a last resort for many teams in the CFL. Neufeld and Chris Kolankowski are both climbing deeper into their 30s, so the succession plan has to be in place soon. SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS – DEFENSIVE BACK With the off-season signing of Tevaughn Campbell from the NFL, I have a suspicion the Riders may be looking at going with two Canadian starters in their secondary to compliment the great American depth they have with Marcus Sayles , Rolan Milligan Jr. , DaMarcus Fields and C.J. Reavis . Maybe I’m being led astray but with the departure of Adam Auclair, I’m not seeing enough starting quality depth at linebacker and the Riders are hitting the refresh on Canadian defensive linemen with little depth to start a regular Canadian there. The Riders have drafted the likes of Jayden Dalke , Nelson Lokombo , Jaxon Ford and Richard Aduboffour in the last five years. The first three have dealt with some significant injuries already and none of them have jumped off the page as a ratio breaking defensive back as of yet. So I’m saying the Riders should be looking that way this week to see if they can bolster a group that looks deep on paper, but Jeremy O’Day hasn’t been shy to really load up at specific positions to ensure where they have starters is as deep as possible. CALGARY STAMPEDERS – OFFENSIVE LINE OL Sean McEwen departed Calgary for Saskatchewan in free agency (Brett Holmes/CFL.ca) Dave Dickenson and Kyle Walters can just hang out with the offensive linemen this week at the combine because they’re in the same boat. The Stamps have also seen their o-line depth depleted and Sean McEwen moving to the rival Riders didn’t help any for Calgary. When you’ve been successful like the Stamps and Bombers have, usually it’s built on the foundation of a strong Canadian contingent up front and those are the first to get big dollars on the open market. Calgary might have to get really creative with their ratio if they don’t find a potential starter on the offensive line in this year’s draft because injuries are going to happen and they don’t have much room for that to happen up front. EDMONTON ELKS – DEFENSIVE BACK The Elks signed National DB Tyrell Ford in free agency (Daniel Crump/CFL.ca) Usually there is one general manager I can say can just hang with us during the combine with no clear absolute needs. Ed Hervey is that man this week. Of course he’s spent his money on quality Canadians across the board with Tyrell Ford , Royce Metchie , Robbie Smith , David Beard and Kurleigh Gittens Jr. to name a few. I could be cute and say quarterback because he doesn’t have Canadian depth after Tre Ford but I’m actually going to say defensive back because of Tre’s brother. Tyrell is a great playmaking corner, and yes, they have Royce Metchie , but he is more of a safety and could both be starting on day one. While if an injury happens the Elks can quickly pivot elsewhere, they do need some depth in the defensive backfield behind these two quality vets. It’s the thinnest spot for the Elks on a team with decent depth across the board for their Nationals. BC LIONS – RECEIVER While I could add Ryan Rigmaiden’s name beside Dickenson and Walters at the offensive line drills, I’ll give you another position for the BC Lions. Receiver. As my example at the beginning of this was focused on the Roughriders, here is that example playing out in BC. Sure you have Justin McInnis and Jevon Cottoy locked in to the receiving group but you don’t have a lot of experience or proven talent coming up the ranks. The Lions made a quiet-yet-interesting move adding Brayden Lenius this off-season. The former top Riders prospect hasn’t been able to stay out of the athletic therapists room in his career, but is good friends with McInnis so he comes into Vancouver in a comfortable spot. That’s still not enough to make me feel comfortable if an injury were to happen. While none of these guys are even touching 30-years old yet, I’m continuing to build the depth at a spot where you’re clearly pencilling in two National starters in the years ahead. Get all the top stories from across the league delivered to your inbox.
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