CFL adding one round to Canadian Draft

The CFL is set to make its Canadian draft one round longer, per sources.

That will make this year’s pick-fest eight rounds and it marks the second time the league has expanded the draft since 2013, when they went from six to seven rounds.

An extra round gives teams a chance to bring more Canadian players to training camp as “non-counters” or athletes that don’t count against a teams’ roster number until the final cuts are made.

That opportunity for a player to display what he can do over a prolonged period of time in a football setting can help ensure less fall through the cracks. Canadian receiver Rob Bagg is a perfect example: he went through the 2007 CFL Draft unselected and signed with Saskatchewan after the draft. Bagg went to camp, proved he could play at the pro level and he’s carved out an impressive career.

The demand for Canadian players has never been higher, particularly since the league added Ottawa as an expansion franchise in time for the 2014 season. Seventh round draft picks currently on CFL rosters: Martin Pesek (Ticats), Kevin Malcolm (Redblacks), Kevin Bradfield (Argos), Anthony Coady (Alouettes), Cameron Thorn (B.C. Lions), Blair Smith (Eskimos) and Andrew Buckley (Stampeders).