There is one week remaining until the 2025 CFL Draft, with hundreds of players waiting to see their pro football dreams realized on Tuesday, April 29 at 8:00 p.m. ET.
As always, 3DownNation will be your go-to source for extensive coverage of all eight rounds. Analysts J.C. Abbott and Ben Grant will once again be live on YouTube for the entire selection process, so stay tuned for details.
In the lead-up to the festivities, our team has collaborated on prospect rankings at every position, culminating in the unveiling of our annual Top 25. Today, we begin in the backfield by examining the greatest quarterback class in CFL history, breaking down a running back group with a ton of production and even more question marks, and shedding light on some intriguing fullbacks and tight ends. Make sure to check back tomorrow when we break down the receivers.
Quarterback
1) Taylor Elgersma, Wilfrid Laurier University (London, Ont.)
What is draft season without controversy? The gap between the two top quarterbacks in this year’s class is a lot smaller than the public discourse might suggest and Elgersma’s tools are hard to ignore. The reigning Hec Crighton trophy winner is a driven leader with prototypical size for a pocket passer and a howitzer of a right arm. That gunslinger mentality occasionally needs to be reigned in and he lacks elite athleticism but his consistent growth as a passer bodes well for making the jump to the next level. Given that you’ll have to wait out the NFL to get either pivot, why not bet on the one with the better pure arm talent and higher developmental upside?
2) Kurtis Rourke, Indiana University (Oakville, Ont.)
Rourke is undeniably the more polished and pro-ready of the options in this 1a/1b quarterback debate, however he’s also much further removed from applying that to three-down football. He’s a sound decision-maker from the pocket who throws with touch and elevated those around him, but lacks elite arm strength and sometimes showed cracks under pressure. Playing his entire senior season on a torn ACL likely contributed to those deficiencies and proved his toughness in spades, though suffering a second major knee injury before the age of 24 could be cause for concern. Ultimately, the Jon Cornish Trophy winner is a more complete prospect than his brother, Nathan, was coming out and has a significantly higher floor than Elgersma – I’m just not convinced he has the same ceiling as either.
3) Arnaud Desjardins, Université Laval (Montreal, Que.)
A two-time Vanier Cup champion as the Rouge et Or’s starter, Desjardins has a winning pedigree and wasn’t allowed to sit on his laurels at one of Canada’s most competitive programs. The six-foot-four, 214-pounder won’t wow you with his arm talent but has good touch and placement on his throws, with pro size and sneaky good athleticism despite rarely using his legs as a weapon. That could be enough to get into a CFL training camp as a non-counter, though his winding release and lack of zip make him a long-shot to stick.
4) Jonathan Sénécal, Université de Montréal (Montreal, Que.)
When it comes to elite athleticism and creative playmaking at the quarterback position, nobody in this class comes close to the 2023 Hec Crighton Trophy winner. Sénécal’s ability to escape the pocket and evade tacklers means that plays are never dead, but his tendency to take chances makes him dangerous in both senses of the word. Both his delivery and decision-making are too inconsistent to bank on at the next level, and a sleight six-foot, 201-pound frame mean even his short-yardage value is questionable.
5) Garrett Rooker, University of British Columbia (League City, Tex.)
A four-year starter for the Thunderbirds who is entitled to National status by way of graduation, Rooker overcame a severe hip dislocation to lead UBC on their Vanier Cup run in 2023. The native Texan is an effective rollout passer with enough natural arm talent to make off-platform throws but inconsistent footwork and ball placement. His skinny build raises durability concerns as a professional and he’ll need to reign in the turnovers if he gets a shot.
Other notable names: Keagan Hall, McMaster | Evan Hillock, Western | Silas Fagnan, St. Francis Xavier
Running back
1) Joey Zorn, University of Windsor (Flint, Mich.)
An American ball-carrier who earned his National status through graduation, Zorn was a critical part of Windsor’s recent resurgence and averaged 7.13 yard per carries over his three seasons with the Lancers. Though his taller build can make him appear upright and stiff, his exceptional burst through the line makes him a threat on every carry. The six-foot, 213-pounder has all the athletic twitch to make defenders miss when he puts his foot in the ground and enough long speed to pull away, although not always enough to finish. His game lacks a true physical edge but his size and strength – as well as a stint as a walk-on safety at Michigan State – suggest he could contribute on special teams.
2) Isaiah Knight, University of British Columbia (Ottawa, Ont.)
Knight is a study in caveats and contradictions, as he is one of the youngest prospects in the entire draft at a month shy of his 22nd birthday but has by far the most collegiate wear-and-tear with well over 600 touches to his name. The six-foot, 212-pounder has been a dominant workhorse for the Thunderbirds with excellent vision and patience to press the line on zone runs before slashing the defence for chunks. His robust frame makes him hard to bring down between the tackle but his 4.76 combine speed does show up when he reaches the second level and will give teams pause as to whether he can be considered for backfield reps at the next level.
3) Ludovick Choquette, Long Island University (Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.)
Choquette is a high-effort and hard-nosed tailback who has been nearly as effective catching passes out of the backfield as he has been in it. He isn’t afraid of the dirty work, whether that is rumbling and stumbling for extra yards, stepping up as a pass protector, or making tackles on special teams. That is exactly what he’ll be asked to do in the CFL but the question is whether that will translate for a player who stands a hair under five-foot-nine and lacks the length typically desired to get of blocks.
4) Keanu Yazbeck, Western University (Kirkland, Que.)
Yazbeck has never been the feature back in the Western offence but has done exceptionally well for himself as a big-bodied change of pace option, averaging 8.77 yards per carry for his career and gaing more yards than Keon Edwards last year on two-thirds the attempts. Predictably, he’s less polished and poised as a runner than those above him but uses his six-foot, 212-pound frame to great effect when he comes into contact. He shows neither elite shiftiness or breakaway speed on tape but helped himself with strong athletic testing at the Combine and could offer special teams value.
5) Opemipo Oshinubi, University of Alberta (Calgary, Alta.)
A six-foot-one, 223-pound running back who is chiselled like an Adonis and runs a legit 4.41 forty is hard to ignore, but Oshinubi still manages to forget he is one when he touches the ball. The Golden Bears’ backup is a stiff and tentative straight-line runner, struggling to seize his opportunity when Matthew Peterson went down last year. Still, the traits are too good for somebody not to gamble on him as a special teams body and developmental prospect.
6) Luka Stoikos, University of Toronto (Toronto, Ont.)
Stoikos’ exceptional testing numbers at the Invitational Combine aren’t a surprise given that he he also runs, shot puts, and does hammer throw for the Varsity Blues’ track team, but they don’t match up with his game. The five-foot-10, 233-pound back struggled to produce as a starter even when considering the lack of talent around him, proving to be stiff laterally with poor vision and burst. Given his strength and muscular physique, there is potential upside for him in more of a fullback role but it remains to be seen whether the former OUA all-star kick returner is willing to change his game to make that happen.
7) Breydon Stubbs, University of Manitoba (Winnipeg, Man.)
It is hard not to fall in love with the way that Stubbs plays the game, bouncing off tackles with excellent contact balance and rarely going down with the first tackler. He’s also a willing blocker and consistently punches above his weight class despite a lack of gym strength. Unfortunately, he’s a limited athlete with no second gear and will struggle to overcome his five-foot-10, 208-pound frame in the CFL.
8) Ryker Frank, University of Saskatchewan (Regina, Sask.)
Frank has a near identical built to Stubbs but plays a very different game, with much better vision and quickness. However, he’s not nearly as physical and that matters far more for projecting undersized ball carriers. With none of his athletic traits falling into elite territory and limited special teams value, that is a hard sell in the pros.
Other notable names: O’Shae Ho-Sang, Bishop’s | Edouard Wanadi, Western | Patrick Charles, Judson
Fullback/Tight end
1) Skyler Griffith, University of British Columbia (Winnipeg, Man.)
Griffith is the best player in this draft that you’ve never heard of, as the All-Canadian special teamer was only just peaking as a full-time tight end when he suffered a devastating knee injury mid-way through last season. The six-foot-three, 245-pounder is an effortlessly smooth athlete when healthy with dominant kick coverage tape, receiving upside, and 4.7 speed. He won’t be ready for training camp but could still go earlier than expected in a class lacking others with his body type.
2) Natan Girouard-Langlois, Université de Montréal (Drummondville, Que.)
A thick six-foot, 253-pound blocker, Girouard-Langlois is a limited athlete who doesn’t offer much value with the ball in his hands and rarely pops in kick coverage. What he can do is stonewall defensive linemen with elite play strength, though you’d like to see more in the way of consistent drive and displacement. His feet are slow to get going, which lead to problems due to a lack of length.
3) Quincy Vaughn, University of North Dakota (Hamilton, Ont.)
A converted D1 quarterback who is in just his second season as a tight end, Vaughn struggles to impose his will as an in-line blocker and remains unrefined as a route runner. The six-foot-four, 247-pounder has enough agility and quickness to be worth developing as an H-back, but will provide immediate value in short-yardage. His massive frame allowed him to score 17 touchdowns on sneaks in college and he could easily fulfill the same role that David Mackie and Ante Litre held last year.
4) Aiden Arnott-Smith, Carleton University (Ottawa, Ont.)
A limited number of available fullbacks could have teams reaching off the board and Arnott-Smith seems like a plausible option. At six-foot and 230 pounds, he offers a nasty edge as a blocker that is sometimes more flash than function, but could fill a special teams role.
Other notable names: Joe Camplin, Regina | Marco Briones, Bishop’s | Rylan Sokul, Regina | Noah Avery, Ottawa
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