There are just days remaining until the 2025 CFL Draft, with hundreds of players waiting to see their pro football dreams realized on Tuesday, April 29 at 6 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 entirety of the 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 with the unveiling of our annual Top 25. We have already announced the quarterbacks, running backs, fullbacks, receivers, and offensive linemen. Today, we continue with a defensive line group that is one of the deepest in recent memory. Make sure to come back tomorrow when we reveal the linebackers.
Defensive line
1) Darien Newell, Queen’s University (Brampton, Ont.)
One of the cleanest U Sports defensive line prospects in recent memory, Newell could be a plug-and-play starter inside as a rookie if serious NFL interest doesn’t manifest. The six-foot-three, 298-pound defensive tackle is a twitched-up wrecking ball with impressive raw power and can knock back even the sturdiest linemen. The three-time All-Canadian also penetrates quickly with sudden hands and lateral quickness when he wants to, which makes him a nightmare for interior blockers to handle.
2) Jeremiah Ojo, Université de Montréal (Montreal, Que.)
Nicknamed ‘The Preacher’ by his Carabins teammates for his devout faith and vocal leadership, Ojo’s game is actually sinfully fun to watch. The six-foot-two, 248-pound defensive end has an exceptional first step and turns the corner with ease, with the acceleration to finish once he does. He is shorter than ideal but has long arms and active hands that keep working even when his first move is rebuffed. The RSEQ’s 2024 J.P. Metras nominee has all the athletic measurables you look for and has a Robbie Smith-like ceiling in the CFL.
3) Hayden Harris, University of Montana (Mill Creek, Wash.)
A tall, high-cut defensive end with a well-muscled upper body, Harris lacks some of Ojo’s reach and bend but has been extremely productive in the Big Sky – the CFL’s favourite FCS conference. The six-foot-five, 257-pound defensive end has a great motor that allows him to get home even if some lower body stiffness widens his arc and he’s plenty strong to hold his own against the run. NFL opportunities are possible for the American-born prospect but his long-term future lies in his mother’s homeland playing in the league that his Reginan family loves.
4) Ali Saad, Bowling Green State University (Windsor, Ont.)
Saad played primarily off the edge in college and was far more effective than his measurables would suggest, though he is universally viewed as a defensive tackle projection in the CFL. The six-foot-two, 282-pound lineman doesn’t have elite quickness off the snap but got the job done as an effort rusher with a few bread-and-butter moves in his arsenal. He’s exceptionally sturdy against the run and shows violent hands to shock and shed against high-level competition, which gives him one of the highest floors in the draft despite a slightly lower athletic ceiling.
5) Paris Shand, Louisiana State University (Toronto, Ont.)
Podcast listeners will know that I’ve overzealously positioned myself as a Shand hater, but that’s not entirely fair. The six-foot-four, 268-pound converted basketball player has drool-worthy length, strong athletic measurables, and has been a regular rotational contributor in the SEC – all major positives that are impossible to dismiss. However, Shand is much stiffer and more linear than his testing would suggest, which led to him being pigeonholed as an undersized interior rusher despite his edge frame. My concerns about his strength at the point of attack are slightly lessened in the CFL game, but I’m not convinced he has the pass rush toolbox, game feel, or ability to flatten to be a top-flight pass rusher. The ceiling is absurdly high but he is still a developmental project, something that is a bit of a red flag considering the high-level coaching that he has already received at Arizona and LSU.
6) Silas Hubert, Queen’s University (Norwood, Ont.)
If you’re fawning over Shand’s measurables, you have to discuss Hubert in the same conversation. The six-foot-five, 265-pound pass rusher is taller, just as long-armed, stronger, faster, and more explosive than the FBS starter ranked above him but lacks the same logo on the side of his helmet. Though he’s more athletic than his older brother, Owen, who went in round eight last year, Silas isn’t an elite bender and is still developing consistency in his hand usage. He’s dominant when he does utilize his considerable reach and provides valuable inside-outside versatility.
7) Ty Anderson, University of Alberta (Calgary, Alta.)
Anderson hasn’t generated a lot of buzz throughout the draft process because he didn’t put up the same jaw-dropping testing numbers as some of his defensive tackle contemporaries, but his tape is in a similar tier. The six-foot-two, 283-pounder is a disruptor in the run game who has good length and flashes the ability to control blockers with his hands. There is some motor to his game as well and he has even contributed on special teams on occasion, wreaking havoc when he bum rushes the A-gap and bulldozes upbacks on punts.
8) Max Von Muehldorfer, Western University (Calgary, Alta.)
A junior Pan-American weightlifting champion, Von Muehldorfer tested off the charts at the Combine and rose up boards as a result. The six-foot-one, 290-pound defensive tackle is held back by his short arms and lack of proven pass-rush ability, but he’s hard to knock off the spot and eats double teams for breakfast. He could have more to offer once he no longer has to balance training for two sports and is athletic enough that some teams wanted him to work out at fullback.
9) Gabriel Maisonneuve, Université de Montréal (Gatineau, Que.)
Ojo may get most of the attention and statistical glory in Montreal but real ones know that his counterpart on the other edge is criminally underrated. Maisonneuve is smaller and lacks the same polish in his pass rush moves but has all the same quickness with elite bend. The six-foot-three, 236-pound end is the type of relentless chasedown player who could contribute early on special teams as well, though he has already told teams that he will be going back to school next year.
10) Isaiah Bagnah, Brigham Young University (Lethbridge, Alta.)
Bagnah has been a productive FBS contributor across five seasons and two recognizable programs, moving from Boise State to BYU in 2023. He’s put on a considerable amount of weight over that span and now checks in at six-foot-three and 261 pounds, but I thought he was at his best when playing lighter and faster early on in his career. His poor athletic measurables are a red flag and held him back as an outside linebacker in the American game, limiting his pass-rush ability and contributing to a lot of missed tackles. He also rubbed some scouts the wrong way with his approach to the CFL Combine, which could cause him to drop.
11) Trey Laing, Eastern Michigan University (Tallahassee, Fla.)
The son of a former Argos’ defensive tackle from Mississauga, Laing has been around the block a few times and enjoyed stints with five different schools during his college career. The six-foot-two, 239-pound defensive end has a solid first step but is otherwise an athletic overachiever, getting by with effort and some solid hand usage. I’m not sure the undersized speed rusher has enough traits to translate to the next level and I worry about his long-term durability, as a serious injury that cost him the 2023 campaign still seems to put a hitch in his giddy-up.
12) Kolade Amusan, University of Windsor (Woodbury, Minn.)
Nationalized by way of graduation from a U Sports program, Amusan has some devoted fans in CFL front offices due to his polished veteran skillset and sound positional play. The six-foot-one, 247-pound defensive end has good length despite his lack of height but doesn’t wow you athletically and has a limited ceiling due to his advanced age. The 26-year-old is nearly five years older than some other players on this list and first stepped foot on a college campus in 2017 with South Dakota, later spending time with four teams at four dramatically different levels. For context, that means he was a college teammate of Chris Streveler, who is now entering his eighth season as a professional.
13) Muftah Ageli, Northwestern Oklahoma State University (Windsor, Ont.)
A squat six-foot, 298-pound nose tackle, Ageli might have the most brute strength in this draft class and has the ability to toss opponents like ragdolls when he gets his hands on them. Though he has a functional get-off, his short arms and below-average quickness are limiting factors in the passing game. The 2023 All-Canadian also did himself no favours by transferring from Windsor to a bad Division II team last year and turning down the CFL Combine to chase an NFL pipe dream, both of which left scouts with serious questions.
14) Liam Hoskins, University of Windsor (London, Ont.)
The third former Lancer on this list, Hoskins wasn’t even a full-time starter for Windsor and spent time as a linebacker before converting to defensive end. The six-foot-two, 240-pound speed rusher probably isn’t technically proficient enough for a regular defensive role at the next level either but his excellent athletic measurables and straight-line speed mean he could be an absolute demon on special teams. Given the nature of the CFL Draft, that could drive him above more consistent college contributors.
15) Chisanem Nsitem, Wilfrid Laurier University (Brampton, Ont.)
A long-armed run stuffer at defensive tackle for the U Sports runners-up, Nsitem earned his way through the Invitational Combine with his strong initial hand placement and above-average play strength. He hasn’t shown much in the way of pass-rush ability and his athletic numbers don’t suggest a high ceiling in that department, but there is room for development given that he didn’t start playing football until university. At six-foot-one and 301 pounds, I even wonder if he has value as a potential centre convert.
16) Nate Martey, Arkansas State University (Ottawa, Ont.)
There is no way to sugarcoat the fact that Martey is a flat-out poor athlete and he’s spent much of his time with the Red Wolves working like a dog for limited pressure as a result. Nevertheless, the six-foot-one, 286-pound defensive tackle is tough to move at the point of attack and shows the football intelligence you’d expect from someone who began their career in the Ivy League. His mental recognition is far quicker than his feet and you can see him sniff out screens, fakes, and misdirection before anyone else – even if he can’t always physically make the play.
17) Aiden Bertuzzi, University of British Columbia (Victoria, B.C.)
Bertuzzi is a power rusher at defensive end and a heavy tackler, but his middling athletic ability is a hard sell given the lack of refinement to his game. The six-foot-five, 248-pounder has a coveted build but is raw and sloppy, with average play strength and limited bend. He doesn’t live up to UBC’s reputation of dominant weight room development and lacks the same high level of tape possessed by past underperforming outliers like Ryan Baker and Mitchell Townsend.
18) Liam Reid, University of Calgary (Vernon, B.C.)
The nephew of longtime Lions centre Angus Reid is a ton of fun to watch with the Dinos and has regularly lined up at off-ball linebacker. He’s a great tackler who closes aggressively and finishes violently but every other aspect of his game is limited by his poor athleticism. The six-foot-two, 240-pound hybrid end probably needs to convert to fullback or teach himself to long snap if he wants to make it in the league.
19) Jacob Dakiniewich, University of Regina (Regina, Sask.)
A six-foot-two, 267-pound tweener, Dakiniewich isn’t a dominant defensive player but has shown glimpses of strength at the point of attack and decent bend for a bigger rusher. What’s really intriguing about his game is the volume of special teams he played at his size, proving to be an effective blocker on kick return and a personal protector on punt team. That in and of itself could merit a flyer at the end of the draft.
20) Riley Hildebrandt, University of Ottawa (Spencerville, Ont.)
Hildebrandt is an exceptionally underrated U Sports player who plays with strong initial hands, great play strength, and excellent recognition. He’s a better athlete and more impressive on tape than a number of players ranked above him, but teams will have a hard time justifying giving a five-foot-11, 262-pound defensive tackle with short arms a shot in the pros.
Other notable names: Nathan Teitz, Calgary | Devonte Turner, Charleston Southern | Eric Johnston, Queen’s | Tucker Burke, Toronto | Sterling May, York | Tristan Gauthier-Norris, Concordia | Zechariah Willems, St. Francis Xavier | Soren Hallshmid, Western
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