2025 CFL draft
Canadian football player selection
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2025 CFL national draft was a selection of national players by Canadian Football League teams that took place on April 29, 2025 at 6:00 pm ET.[1] Seventy-two players were chosen from among eligible players from Canadian Universities across the country, as well as Canadian players playing in the NCAA.[2][3]
| 2025 CFL draft | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Sport | Canadian football |
| Date | April 29, 2025 |
| Time | 6:00 pm EDT |
| Location | Toronto, Ontario |
| Networks | |
| Overview | |
| 72 total selections in 8 rounds | |
| League | Canadian Football League |
| First selection | Damien Alford, Calgary Stampeders |
| Most selections (10) | |
| Fewest selections (7) | |
| U Sports selections | 49 |
| NCAA selections | 23 |
Format
As per the 2022 collective bargaining agreement, the two teams that had National players featured in the highest percentage of snaps played in the 2024 CFL season were each awarded an additional second-round pick.[3] The Winnipeg Blue Bombers and BC Lions were awarded these selections for the second consecutive year.[4]
Top prospects
| Final ranking[5] |
January ranking[6] |
August ranking[7] |
Player | Position | University | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | - | Elic Ayomanor | Wide receiver | Stanford | Medicine Hat, AB |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | Kurtis Rourke | Quarterback | Indiana | Oakville, ON |
| 3 | 2 | 3 | Paris Shand | Defensive lineman | LSU | Toronto, ON |
| 4 | - | - | Connor Shay | Linebacker | Wyoming | Danville, CA |
| 5 | 5 | 10 | Keelan White | Wide receiver | Montana | North Vancouver, BC |
| 6 | - | - | Tiger Shanks | Offensive lineman | UNLV | Lake Oswego, OR |
| 7 | - | 2 | Damien Alford | Wide receiver | Utah | Montreal, QC |
| 8 | 13 | 19 | Darien Newell | Defensive lineman | Queen's | Brampton, ON |
| 9 | 9 | - | Hayden Harris | Defensive lineman | Montana | Mill Creek, WA |
| 10 | 11 | - | Christopher Fortin | Offensive lineman | Connecticut | Saint-René, QC |
| 11 | 12 | - | Ali Saad | Defensive lineman | Bowling Green | Windsor, ON |
| 12 | 4 | 8 | Isaiah Bagnah | Defensive lineman | BYU | Lethbridge, AB |
| 13 | 8 | 5 | Jackson Findlay | Defensive back | Western | North Vancouver, BC |
| 14 | 20 | - | Taylor Elgersma | Quarterback | Wilfrid Laurier | London, ON |
| 15 | 6 | 20 | Jaylen Smith | Defensive back | North Texas | Hamilton, ON |
| 16 | 7 | 14 | Jeremiah Ojo | Defensive lineman | Montreal | Montreal, QC |
| 17 | 17 | - | Samuel Carson | Offensive lineman | Louisiana–Monroe | Calgary, AB |
| 18 | 10 | 17 | Erik Andersen | Offensive lineman | Western | London, ON |
| 19 | 15 | 15 | Devin Veresuk | Linebacker | Windsor | Windsor, ON |
| 20 | 19 | - | Nate Beauchemin | Defensive back | Calgary | Kelowna, BC |
| - | 14 | 16 | Nate Martey | Defensive lineman | Arkansas State | Ottawa, ON |
| - | 16 | - | Ethan Jordan | Wide receiver | Wilfrid Laurier | Chatham, ON |
| - | 18 | - | Isaiah Knight | Running back | British Columbia | Ottawa, ON |
| - | - | 4 | Eric Schon [a] | Offensive lineman | Duke | Barrie, ON |
| - | - | 6 | Nolan Ulm [b] | Wide receiver | Eastern Washington | Kelowna, BC |
| - | - | 7 | Akheem Mesidor [b] | Defensive lineman | Miami (FL) | Ottawa, ON |
| - | - | 9 | Wesley Bailey [b] | Defensive lineman | Rutgers | Ottawa, ON |
| - | - | 11 | Jett Elad [b] | Defensive back | UNLV | Mississauga, ON |
| - | - | 12 | Rene Konga [b] | Defensive lineman | Louisville | Ottawa, ON |
| - | - | 13 | Devynn Cromwell | Defensive back | Texas Tech | Toronto, ON |
| - | - | 18 | Harold Miessan | Linebacker | Montreal | Montreal, QC |
Draft order
- Source: [8]
Round one
| Pick # | CFL team | Player | Position | University |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calgary Stampeders | Damien Alford | WR | Utah |
| 2 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Devin Veresuk | LB | Windsor |
| N/a | Edmonton Elks | Selection forfeited[9] | ||
| N/a | BC Lions | Selection forfeited[4] | ||
| 3 | Ottawa Redblacks | Keelan White | WR | Montana |
| 4 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | Ali Saad | DL | Bowling Green |
| 5 | Montreal Alouettes | Tiger Shanks | OL | UNLV |
| 6 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | Connor Shay | LB | Wyoming |
| 7 | Toronto Argonauts | Jeremiah Ojo | DL | Montreal |
| 8 | Calgary Stampeders (via BC forfeiture)[4] | Christopher Fortin | OL | Connecticut |
Round two
| Pick # | CFL team | Player | Position | University |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/a | BC Lions (via Calgary)[trade 1] | Selection forfeited[4] | ||
| 9 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Isaiah Bagnah | DL | BYU |
| 10 | Edmonton Elks | Darien Newell | DL | Queen's |
| 11 | BC Lions | Hayden Harris | DL | Montana |
| 12 | Ottawa Redblacks | Samuel Carson | OL | Louisiana–Monroe |
| 13 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | Erik Anderson | OL | Western |
| 14 | Montreal Alouettes | Nate Beauchemin | DB | Calgary |
| 15 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | Jaylen Smith | DB | North Texas |
| 16 | BC Lions (via Toronto)[trade 2] | Jackson Findlay | DB | Western |
| 17 | Calgary Stampeders (via BC forfeiture)[4] | Quincy Vaughn | TE | North Dakota |
| 18N | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | Taylor Elgersma | QB | Wilfrid Laurier |
| 19N | Toronto Argonauts (via BC)[trade 2] | Paris Shand | DL | LSU |
Round three
| Pick # | CFL team | Player | Position | University |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Calgary Stampeders | Anton Haie | DB | Laval |
| 21 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Arvin Hosseini | OL | British Columbia |
| 22 | Edmonton Elks | Skyler Griffith | TE | British Columbia |
| 23 | Montreal Alouettes (via BC)[trade 3] | Gabriel Lessard | LB | Montreal |
| 24 | Edmonton Elks (via Ottawa)[trade 4] | Isaiah Knight | RB | British Columbia |
| 25 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | Kurtis Rourke | QB | Indiana |
| 26 | Montreal Alouettes | Hakeem Harris | WR | Davenport |
| 27 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | Ethan Vibert | OL | South Dakota State |
| 28 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats (via Toronto)[trade 5] | Mack Bannatyne | DB | Alberta |
Round four
| Pick # | CFL team | Player | Position | University |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | Toronto Argonauts (via Calgary and BC)[trade 1][trade 2] | Gavin Coakes | OL | British Columbia |
| 30 | Toronto Argonauts (via Hamilton)[trade 5] | Istvan Assibo-Dadzie | DB | Windsor |
| 31 | Edmonton Elks | Silas Hubert | DL | Queen's |
| 32 | Calgary Stampeders (via BC)[trade 1] | Nicky Farinaccio | LB | Montreal |
| 33 | Ottawa Redblacks | Muftah Ageli | DL | Northwestern Oklahoma State |
| 34 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | Seth Hundeby | LB | Saskatchewan |
| 35 | Montreal Alouettes | Keanu Yazbeck | RB | Western |
| 36 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats (via Winnipeg)[trade 6] | Ty Anderson | DL | Alberta |
| 37 | BC Lions (via Toronto)[trade 2] | Connor Klassen | OL | Regina |
Round five
| Pick # | CFL team | Player | Position | University |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | Calgary Stampeders | Vyshonne Janusas | WR | Guelph |
| 39 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers (via Hamilton)[trade 6] | Joey Corcoran | WR | New Hampshire |
| 40 | Edmonton Elks | Domenico Piazza | OL | McGill |
| 41 | BC Lions | Dre Doiron | OL | Kansas |
| 42 | Ottawa Redblacks | Eric Cumberbatch | DB | Ottawa |
| 43 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | Liam Hoskins | LB | Windsor |
| 44 | Montreal Alouettes | Gabriel Maisonneuve | DL | Montreal |
| 45 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | Lane Novak | LB | Saskatchewan |
| 46 | Toronto Argonauts | Jaylen Rayam | LB | UTEP |
Round six
| Pick # | CFL team | Player | Position | University |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 47 | Calgary Stampeders | Ludovick Choquette | RB | Long Island |
| 48 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Ronan Horrall | DB | British Columbia |
| 49 | Edmonton Elks | Daniel Hocevar | OL | Guelph |
| 50 | BC Lions | Chase Tataryn | LB | Alberta |
| 51 | Ottawa Redblacks | Ethan Jordan | WR | Wilfrid Laurier |
| 52 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | Gideon Agyei | DB | Calgary |
| 53 | Montreal Alouettes | Isaac Gaillaretz | WR | Laval |
| 54 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | Ethan Ball | DB | Calgary |
| 55 | Toronto Argonauts | Joey Zorn | RB | Windsor |
Round seven
| Pick # | CFL team | Player | Position | University |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56 | Calgary Stampeders | Matthew Stokman | OL | Manitoba |
| 57 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Jake Nitychoruk | DB | Manitoba |
| 58 | Edmonton Elks | Kolby Hurford | WR | Alberta |
| 59 | BC Lions | Alex Berwick | OL | Western |
| 60 | Ottawa Redblacks | Jayden Griffiths | LB | Wilfrid Laurier |
| 61 | Calgary Stampeders (via Saskatchewan)[trade 7] | Max von Muehldorfer | DL | Western |
| 62 | Montreal Alouettes | Jonathan Sénécal | QB | Montreal |
| 63 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | Trey Laing | DL | Eastern Michigan |
| 64 | Toronto Argonauts | Ethan Pyle | OL | Guelph |
Round eight
| Pick # | CFL team | Player | Position | University |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 65 | Calgary Stampeders | Ashton Miller-Melancon | DB | Queen's |
| 66 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Nate Martey | DL | Arkansas State |
| N/a | Edmonton Elks | Selection forfeited[10] | ||
| 67 | BC Lions | Luka Stoikos | RB | Toronto |
| 68 | Ottawa Redblacks | King Ambers | DB | East Texas A&M |
| 69 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | Daniel Wiebe | WR | Saskatchewan |
| 70 | Montreal Alouettes | Riley MacLeod | LB | Western |
| 71 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | Iwinosa Uwubanmwen | OL | Alberta |
| 72 | Toronto Argonauts | DeEmetrius Masuka | DB | McMaster |
Trades
In the explanations below, (D) denotes trades that took place during the draft, while (PD) indicates trades completed pre-draft.
Round two
- Calgary → BC (PD). Calgary traded the ninth overall pick and the 29th overall pick in this year's draft and a second-round pick in the 2026 CFL draft to BC in exchange for Vernon Adams, the 32nd overall pick in this year's draft, and a third-round pick in the 2026 CFL draft.[trade 1]
- Toronto ↔ BC (D). Toronto traded the 16th and 37th overall picks to BC in exchange for the 19th and 29th overall picks.[trade 2]
Round three
- Ottawa → Edmonton (PD). Ottawa traded a third-round pick in this year's draft to Edmonton in exchange for Peter Adjey.[trade 4]
- BC → Montreal (PD). BC traded a third-round pick in this year's draft to Montreal in exchange for Jeshrun Antwi.[trade 3]
- Toronto → Hamilton (PD). Toronto traded a conditional fourth-round pick in this year's draft, Jordan Williams, and the seventh overall selection, a second-round pick, and a fourth-round pick in the 2024 CFL draft to Hamilton in exchange for a conditional third-round pick in this year's draft, the fifth overall selection and two third-round picks in the 2024 CFL draft, and the negotiation rights to Deontay Burnett.[trade 5] The condition was not met and Toronto traded a third-round pick instead.[8]
Round four
- Calgary ↔ BC (PD). Calgary traded the 29th overall pick and the ninth overall pick in this year's draft and a second-round pick in the 2026 CFL draft to BC in exchange for Vernon Adams, the 32nd overall pick in this year's draft, and a third-round pick in the 2026 CFL draft.[trade 1]
- Hamilton → Toronto (PD). Hamilton traded a conditional third-round pick in this year's draft, the fifth overall selection and two third-round picks in the 2024 CFL draft, and the negotiation rights to Deontay Burnett to Toronto in exchange for Jordan Williams, the seventh overall selection, a second-round pick, and a fourth-round pick in the 2024 CFL draft, and a conditional fourth-round pick in this year's draft.[trade 5] The condition was not met and Hamilton traded a fourth-round pick instead.[8]
- Winnipeg → Hamilton (PD). Winnipeg traded the 36th overall pick in this year's draft, the eighth overall pick in the 2025 CFL global draft, and Kyle Samson to Hamilton in exchange for Matthew Peterson, the 39th overall pick in this year's draft, and the second overall pick in the 2025 CFL global draft.[trade 6]
- Toronto ↔ BC (D). Toronto traded the 16th and 37th overall picks to BC in exchange for the 19th and 29th overall picks.[trade 2]
Round five
- Hamilton → Winnipeg (PD). Hamilton traded the 39th overall pick in this year's draft, the second overall pick in the 2025 CFL global draft, and Matthew Peterson to Winnipeg in exchange for Kyle Samson, the 36th overall pick in this year's draft, and the eighth overall pick in the 2025 CFL global draft.[trade 6]
Round seven
- Saskatchewan → Calgary (PD). Saskatchewan traded an eighth-round pick in this year's draft to Calgary in exchange for Jake Maier.[trade 7] This became a seventh-round pick when Maier re-signed with Saskatchewan on January 9, 2025.[11]
Forfeitures
Supplemental draft
- Edmonton forfeited their first-round pick after selecting Zach Mathis in the 2024 supplemental draft.[9]
- Edmonton forfeited their eighth-round pick after selecting Antonio Alfano in the 2024 supplemental draft.[10]
Salary cap
- BC forfeited the highest of their first-round and second-round picks (third and ninth overall) after exceeding the salary cap by more than $300,000 ($347,889).[4] As the team with the highest priority waiver, Calgary was awarded BC's forfeited selections at the end of the first and second rounds (eighth and 17th overall).[4]