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 8 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, and receivers. Today, we continue with an offensive line group that is weaker than years past but could get driven up boards due to demand. Make sure to come back tomorrow when we reveal the defensive linemen.
Offensive line
1) Christopher Fortin, University of Connecticut (St-Rene, Que.)
It took until his senior year for Fortin to become a full-time starter, but it proved to be an exceptional farewell campaign and helped restore UConn to national relevance. The six-foot-four, 300-pound left guard is a poor athlete, but compensates with elite length and polished technique. He thrives on inside zone runs and climbs more smoothly to the second level than players with far quicker feet, though he doesn’t finish through the whistle as consistently as you would like. Despite his limitations, he redirects well enough not to be a liability in the passing game and has a good feel for pressure, with a solid anchor to shut down power. While his ceiling might be lower than other prospects, his floor is stable and he’s ready to step into a lineup now.
2) Erik Andersen, Western University (London, Ont.)
No player in this class delivers more pop on contact as a run blocker than Western’s left tackle, who comes out of his stance incredibly low for a six-foot-six, 314-pounder and generates consistent displacement. He almost looks like he’s playing over his skis at times, though he shows reliable balance to recover. Despite his prototypical build, I’m not convinced Andersen’s feet are nimble enough in pass protection to stick at tackle in the CFL but his great bend makes the All-Canadian a cleaner projection inside than most tall linemen. A concussion at the Combine has faded his public hype but it isn’t a repeat injury that teams would be concerned about long term.
3) Tiger Shanks, University of Nevada-Las Vegas (Lake Oswego, Ore.)
Born in Vancouver but raised in China and later the United States, Shanks’ late addition to the draft was met with excitement due to his status as a four-year starter at right tackle for an FBS team. While he shows good initial quickness out of his stance and drops a firm anchor, his footwork isn’t as clean as you would hope and he was rarely left on an island in true pass sets. That makes projecting the six-foot-five, 311-pounder much more difficult, especially without the benefit of pro day measurables. The top-heavy leaner could prove to be a ratio-breaker or he could be Dontae Bull 2.0.
4) Arvin Hosseini, University of British Columbia (North Vancouver, B.C.)
With narrow shoulders and short arms, Hosseini isn’t necessarily built like an elite offensive lineman but his Combine performance proved his athleticism is exceptional for a man of his size. The six-foot-five, 310-pound guard has a strong core and dancing feet to mirror in pass protection, allowing him to play quality reps at tackle despite his length deficiencies. He is low and explosive off the ball in the run game, effectively knocking back defenders once he gets inside their frame. Though he can get caught lunging or leaning, his natural balance allows him to recover fluidly and bodes well for success at the next level.
5) Ethan Vibert, South Dakota State University (Regina, Sask.)
The man they call ‘Moose’ followed a similar career path to Fortin, serving exclusively as a backup before becoming the starting left guard for a FCS contender in 2024. He is the type of stocky, gap-scheme grinder that’s a staple of the CFL Draft, though he is more of a leverage blocker as opposed to a true mauler. The six-foot-three, 310-pounder has decent feet for a big man, a strong punch to stonewall, and all the functional strength to crack a roster early on.
6) Sam Carson, University of Louisiana-Monroe (Calgary, Alta.)
A transfer from the University of Calgary, Carson carved out a role in the FBS but was used entirely out of position at left tackle. The six-foot-four, 300-pound Warhawk is a natural guard and knows it, having the benefit of a U Sports offensive line coach as a father to tailor his expectations. He’s problematically short armed but plays with good leverage and consistently rolls his hips through contact, showing all the traits needed to be a competent contributor inside in the CFL.
7) Gavin Coakes, University of British Columbia (Winnipeg, Man.)
Hosseini’s UBC teammate has gone largely undiscussed throughout the draft process after suffering a broken foot during offseason training and likely won’t be ready for training camp. Even so, the six-foot-four, 314-pounder should go in the top half of the draft. Coakes isn’t quite as fleet of foot as some other centres but he fits up his blocks beautifully, with explosive drive and a nasty finish. He’s also not size-limited as a snapper-only prospect and could just as easily develop into starter at guard.
8) Connor Klassen, University of Regina (Big River, Sask.)
Klassen took the road less travelled from six-man football in rural Saskatchewan to become a CJFL all-star and eventually start at right tackle for the Rams. The six-foot-three, 311-pounder has solid length, sound feet, and a good anchor but will have to kick inside at the next level. He won’t knock your socks off on contact like some other players but has proven to be an effective wall-off blocker who utilizes good body position and angles to get the job done.
9) Ethan Pyle, University of Guelph (Milton, Ont.)
At six-foot-two and just 284 pounds, Pyle is severely undersized even by centre standards and has been exposed by bull-rushing nose tackles. However, he is an elite athlete for the position who is gifted on the move and exceeds his limitations with relentless piston knee drive. There is no guarantee that is enough for the second-team OUA all-star to survive as a pro but it’s certainly enough to merit a long look.
10) Daniel Hocevar, University of Guelph (Hamilton, Ont.)
The second Gryphon on this list may not have his teammates’ accolades but was initially more highly-touted by scouts and proved to be an exceptional athlete in his own right at the Combine. Hocevar is quick out of his stance and can effectively make it to the front side on zone, though he isn’t a top-tier finisher. The six-foot-two, 297-pounder is on the smaller side but has good reach and a sturdy anchor to fall back on in pass protection. A guard and tackle at Guelph, he could find himself playing centre at the next level.
11) Domenico Piazza, McGill University (Mercier, Que.)
Despite measuring in at under six-foot-two and 298 pounds with short arms, Piazza played left tackle for the Redbirds and was a damn good one at that. He’s likely a centre convert in the CFL and has all the lateral agility you look for in that position to go along with angry feet that never stop pounding. While his build limits his draft projection, his versatility will be a major plus for teams.
12) Dre Doiron, University of Kansas (London, Ont.)
Doiron is a cautionary tale for those seeking to transfer to a higher level of competition, as he went from a full-time starter at right tackle for Buffalo as a redshirt freshman to playing just 34 total offensive snaps over the next three seasons combined with the Jayhawks. The six-foot-three, 303-pound reclamation project looks as sloppy as you’d expect a guy to be after he was stapled to the bench and his mind seems to be working faster than his body. While he’s projected himself as a centre, I don’t think he’s a clean fit at any of the five spots right now but his pedigree is something teams are likely to bet on late.
13) Felix Despins, Concordia University (Varennes, Que.)
Despins was the surprise of the pre-draft process, putting himself on the radar with two strong Combine showings once the pads came on. The Stingers’ swing tackle isn’t particularly long or explosive, but he’s got polished pass sets, a strong core, and surprising lateral agility. The sturdy six-foot-three, 313-pounder may go late but don’t be shocked if he sticks around for longer than some players with higher athletic ceilings.
14) Matthew Stokman, University of Manitoba (Winnipeg, Man.)
The heaviest of the bonafide prospects in this year’s class, Stokman weighs in at six-foot-three and 334 pounds. He’s got the pot-bellied power that goes with that size and some surprising initial quickness, but his value in space is limited and I question the stamina at times. His bulk can’t be taught though and certain teams value that highly once the top tier of linemen have been taken off the board.
15) Alex Berwick, Western University (Ottawa, Ont.)
A natural centre for one of the best offensive lines in the country, Berwick has some really good tape but saw his flaws get exposed at the Combine. The six-foot-two, 306-pound blocker has good feel for the position and redirects well but doesn’t have an explosive first step. He gets caught leaning on people to generate push and can end up on the ground as a result. The second-team All-Canadian is still worth a look late but has lost ground to more versatile options.
16) Brandon Davies-Lyons, York University (Oshawa, Ont.)
After spending the majority of his career as a nose tackle, Davies-Lyons flipped to offence for the final five games of last season and became a legitimate two-way prospect. He wasn’t particularly good at guard and a lot of people would keep him on defence as a result, but I believe his developmental upside is best suited as a blocker for a team willing to be patient. The six-foot-four, 306-pound project has athletic measurables that are average for a defensive lineman but excellent for an offensive lineman, so focus on where his tools are best maximized.
17) Daniel Dove, University of Waterloo (Orangeville, Ont.)
Dove has an excellent frame at six-foot-five and 309 pounds but doesn’t have the feet to back it up. A starter at both guard and tackle, he looks stiff and upright with consistent difficulty redirecting. He’s got plenty of raw strength and will torque defenders to finish, but a lot of those reps are more compelling on a highlight tape than they are actually effective.
18) Cody Neumann, University of Alberta (Sherwood Park, Alta.)
The Golden Bears are an offensive line factory but Neumann is a rung below the calibre of prospect we’ve become accustomed to them producing. The six-foot-three, 300-pound right tackle plays high and heavy-footed, struggles against speed, and doesn’t consistently impose his will. A late-round flyer with the intention of kicking him inside isn’t outside the realm of possibility but his ceiling is low.
19) Josh Rietveld, Wilfrid Laurier University (Brantford, Ont.)
A key part of Laurier’s Vanier Cup run, Rietveld’s game is all about leaning on people with his considerable girth. The six-foot-three, 316-pound guard is a mauler but can often be slow out of his stance and is very limited athletically. While his size got him by in U Sports, it likely isn’t enough of an outlier to force teams to overlook his testing.
20) Anthony Horth, Université de Sherbrooke (Paspébiac, Que.)
This year’s bench press champion with a ridiculous 41 reps, Horth is glass-eating centre with a nasty style of play that sometimes challenges the bounds of human decency. Unfortunately, the All-Canadian’s athleticism doesn’t match his raw strength and his five-foot-10, 309-pound frame will be considered disqualifying by most.
Other notable names: Cedric Briere, McMaster | Alexis Levesque-Gallant, Montreal | Thomas Bourikas, Guelph | Tristan Fortin, Ottawa | Jacob Wright, Toronto
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