The 2025 CFL Draft gets underway on Tuesday, April 29 at 6 p.m. ET, bringing an end to months of research, evaluation, and speculation.
3DownNation will be your go-to resource throughout all eight rounds. Keep your eyes locked on the website for John Hodge’s written analysis, while J.C. Abbott and Ben Grant will be live on YouTube and Facebook providing instant reaction to every pick.
In preparation for the big day, we’ve ranked our top prospects at every single position: quarterback, running back, fullback, receiver, offensive line, defensive line, linebacker, defensive back, and specialist. Today, we unveil our list of the top 25 players that will be available when the Calgary Stampeders are on the clock at first overall.
Top 25
- REC Elic Ayomanor, Stanford University (Medicine Hat, Alta.)
Ayomanor was a bit of a faller in the NFL Draft, landing with the Tennessee Titans in round four after initially being projected as a Day 2 pick. That increases the likelihood that a CFL team drafts the former Jon Cornish Trophy winner late, hoping his developmental tools will cash in if he comes back north. The six-foot-two, 206-pounder will challenge you vertically and shows flashes of dominance at the catch point, memorably roasting Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter for 294 yards and three touchdowns in 2023.
- QB Taylor Elgersma, Wilfrid Laurier University (London, Ont.)
Elgersma going unsigned following the NFL Draft remains baffling but CFL teams should be ecstatic that their odds of seeing him quickly have increased. The reigning Hec Crighton trophy winner is a driven leader with prototypical size for a pocket passer and a howitzer of a right arm. He’s relatively new to the position compared to most quarterbacks and has taken huge developmental steps every year, giving you confidence that his impressive tools can be polished into a future CFL starter.
- DL 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. 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.
- QB Kurtis Rourke, Indiana University (Oakville, Ont.)
Rourke already has pro-ready polish as a decision-maker from the pocket, throwing with excellent timing and touch. He’s also one of the toughest players in the draft, playing the entire 2024 season on a torn ACL and still winning the Jon Cornish Trophy as the best Canadian in the NCAA. Unfortunately, injury concerns and a lack of top-tier arm strength caused him to fall to the San Francisco 49ers in round seven of the NFL Draft – a fit so perfect for his skillset that he seems likely to stick around long term.
- LB Connor Shay, University of Wyoming (Danville, Cali.)
It took until his senior season with the Cowboys for Shay to climb to the top of the depth chart but his high level of play last year has put him into contention for the first overall pick. The six-foot-one, 224-pound middle linebacker has a traditional CFL frame with all the quickness and range to make plays from sideline to sideline. Born in the U.S. to a father from P.E.I., his patient feet and disciplined eyes should help him adjust and contribute quickly in the three-down game.
- REC Keelan White, University of Montana (North Vancouver, B.C.)
The Canadian Spider isn’t going to wow you with his six-foot, 190-pound frame or his athletic measurables but much like his childhood friends the Philpots, that isn’t his game. White is a beautifully smooth mover who can lull you to sleep before separating with tremendous short-area quickness. The former walk-on has a history of delivering clutch plays in key moments for the Griz, including multiple overtime winners in the FCS playoffs, and went without a single drop in 2024.
- DL Jeremiah Ojo, Université de Montréal (Montreal, Que.)
Ojo has an exceptional first step off the line and turns the corner with ease, with the acceleration to finish once he does. The six-foot-two, 248-pound defensive end 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.
- DL Hayden Harris, University of Montana (Mill Creek, Wash.)
A tall, high-cut defensive end with a well-muscled upper body, Harris’ frame and impressive Big Sky production led him to sign as an undrafted free agent with the Buffalo Bills. The six-foot-five, 257-pound pass rusher isn’t overly long or bendy but has a great motor that allows him to get home even if some lower body stiffness widens his arc. Unlike a lot of foreign-born Canadian citizens, the Griz star has lots of extended family in Regina that would make an eventual homecoming more attractive.
- DB Jackson Findlay, Western University (North Vancouver, B.C.)
Findlay was created in a lab to play safety in the CFL and is a fourth-generation prospect, following his great-grandfather, grandfather, father, and uncle to the league. The six-foot-three, 207-pound DB has prototypical size, range, and physicality for the position and unrivalled maturity for a 21-year-old. Despite a bright future as a pediatric oncologist, he’s committed to a long football career and could be a plug-and-play rookie.
- LB Devin Veresuk, University of Windsor (Windsor, Ont.)
Six-foot-two, 240-pound U Sports linebackers aren’t supposed to move the way that Veresuk does: buttery smooth in space with effective coverage ability despite his size. He was clocked sub-4.5 in the forty at the Buffalo pro day and is just as strong as he is fast, physically man-handling opponents when he wants to. Those elite traits make him a potential difference-maker at the next level but his eyes aren’t quite as quick as his feet and he can be a step slow to react when sorting through traffic.
- REC Damien Alford, University of Utah (Montreal, Que.)
It’s hard not to drool over the possibility of a six-foot-five, 224-pound target on the outside with legit 4.46 speed. Alford was a true deep threat during his time at Syracuse, averaging a whopping 19.3 yards per reception, but he hardly touched the field after transferring to Utah last year. CFL teams will have to decide whether that was a product of his limited change of direction or an example of a coaching staff failing to maximize the unique skillset of a late addition.
- OL 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. The six-foot-four, 300-pound left guard is a poor athlete but compensates with elite length and polished technique in both the run and pass games. While his ceiling might be lower than other prospects, his floor is stable and he’s ready to step into a lineup now.
- LB Jaylen Smith, University of North Texas (Hamilton, Ont.)
A former walk-on who developed into a 100-tackle starter for the Mean Green, Smith is not quite fluid enough to play SAM but well-suited to play weak-side linebacker in the CFL after excelling over the slot in college. Even if the five-foot-11, 224-pounder never finds the consistency needed to become a starter, his history as an elite collegiate special teams player makes him one of the safest projections in the draft.
- OL 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. Andersen comes out of his stance incredibly low for a six-foot-six, 314-pounder and almost plays over his skis at times, but generates consistent displacement. Despite his prototypical build, the All-Canadian may not be nimble enough in pass protection to stick at tackle in the CFL but his great bend makes him a cleaner projection inside than most tall linemen.
- DL 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.
- DL Paris Shand, Louisiana State University (Toronto, Ont.)
Shand’s 34-inch arms, SEC pedigree, and strong athletic measurables earned him an undrafted free agent contract with the Buffalo Bills, but he’s much stiffer and more linear than his testing would suggest. The six-foot-four, 268-pounder is built like an edge rusher but primarily played inside last year with the Tigers, sometimes struggling to hold the point of attack. That’s less of a concern if he makes his way to the CFL but he still needs to develop his pass rush toolbox and game feel to be effective.
- OL Tiger Shanks, University of Nevada-Las Vegas (Lake Oswego, Ore.)
A four-year starter at right tackle for an FBS team, Shanks’ late addition to the draft was met with excitement but he was rarely left on an island in true pass sets. While the six-foot-five, 311-pounder shows good initial quickness out of his stance and drops a firm anchor, his footwork isn’t as clean as you would hope. The Vancouver-born prospect could be a ratio-breaker or turn out to be Dontae Bull 2.0.
- DB Nate Beauchemin, University of Calgary (Kelowna, B.C.)
The 2024 Presidents’ Trophy may be a step slower athletically than Findlay but he plays with a mental headstart that makes you wonder if he’s been reading the opponent’s playbook. The six-foot-one, 204-pound safety’s intelligence and instincts will translate, and he drives on passes with the intent to take them for points himself.
- DL Silas Hubert, Queen’s University (Norwood, Ont.)
Hubert is taller, just as long-armed, stronger, faster, and more explosive than Shand but lacks the same logo on the side of his helmet. The six-foot-five, 265-pound pass rusher isn’t an elite bender but he’s dominant when he utilizes his considerable reach and provides valuable inside-outside versatility.
- REC Ethan Jordan, Wilfrid Laurier University (Chatham, Ont.)
Jordan is just the 18th receiver in U Sports history to record 1,000 yards in the regular season but is considered a “starter or bust” prospect due to his five-foot-10, 177-pound frame. His 4.44 speed suggests he can be the former and his tape backs it up with sudden breaks, elite pacing, and excellent afterburners down the field.
- OL Arvin Hosseini, University of British Columbia (North Vancouver, B.C.)
Hosseini has a strong core and dancing feet to mirror in pass protection, allowing him to play quality reps at tackle despite his length deficiencies. The six-foot-five, 310-pound guard is low and explosive off the ball in the run game, effectively knocking back defenders once he gets inside their frame.
- LB Seth Hundeby, University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon, Sask.)
Hundeby’s enticing combination of size and speed made him a nightmare to block when blitzing, as the six-foot-two, 251-pounder ran a 4.7 forty at the Combine and posted change of direction numbers on par with most DBs. Some teams may see him as a future defensive end and he could be a mismatch on special teams immediately but he plans to return to Saskatoon to complete his engineering degree next.
- OL Ethan Vibert, South Dakota State University (Regina, Sask.)
The man they call ‘Moose’ served exclusively as a backup before becoming the starting left guard for an FCS contender in 2024. The six-foot-three, 310-pounder is the type of stocky, gap-scheme grinder that’s a staple of the CFL Draft, with decent feet for a big man and all the functional strength to crack a roster early on.
- OL 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 future guard 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.
- FB 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.
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