The final week of the 2025 CFL preseason will wrap up on Friday at 9:30 p.m. EST when the Edmonton Elks host the B.C. Lions
Both teams are expected to field more veteran lineup in the finale but there will still be lots of opportunities for rookies to stand out before the cutdown deadline at 10:00 p.m. local time on Saturday. The challenge for CFL fans is figuring out in advance who they should have their eyes on.
Whether you are watching from the stadium or on CFL+, 3DownNation is teeing up every preseason game with a handful of rookies you should know. The only rule: those with CFL game experience need not apply. You can read the watchlist for the Lions’ first game here or peruse Edmonton’s by clicking here, gaining double the insight.
“N” denotes National players (ie. Canadians), “A” denotes American players, and “G” denotes Global players.
Edmonton Elks
Courtesy: AP Photo/George Walker IV
REC Kearis Jackson, University of Georgia (A)
One of two former Georgia receivers looking to crack the lineup in Edmonton, Jackson made an impressive introduction with four catches for 60 yards in his debut last week. The six-foot, 200-pound target was a consistent contributor for the Bulldogs but never developed into a difference-maker despite his four-star pedigree. Nevertheless, his toughness, build-up speed, and feel for open space could make him a CFL weapon.
Photo courtesy: Maddie Rose/APSU Athletics
DB Demetries Ford, Arizona State University (A)
This is Ford’s third shot at making a CFL active roster following stints with Winnipeg and Hamilton, but he may have finally found his fit. The five-foot-nine, 180-pound defensive back was seemingly everywhere in Edmonton’s preseason opener, recording three defensive tackles, a special teams tackle, a sack, and an interception. That was closer to the player that scouts saw before he transferred to Arizona State, when he was an All-American corner at Austin Peay and held opponents to a 57.7 QB rating.
Photo courtesy: Darren Whitley/South Dakota Athletics
LB Brock Mogensen, University of South Dakota (A)
Mogensen was signed by the Elks just four days ago but is already listed as the backup middle linebacker and should get a long look on Friday. The six-foot-two, 235-pounder enters the CFL with an impressive small-school resume that includes FCS All-American honours, a Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year award, and 399 career tackles. Players with his combination of physicality and instincts don’t grow on trees, which is why Edmonton is throwing him to the fire on such an accelerated timeline.
Photo courtesy: Ainsley E. Fauth/North Carolina Athletics
DT Tomari Fox, University of North Carolina (A)
The most intriguing takeaway from the Elks’ second preseason depth chart was that Tomari Fox was the only rookie nestled amongst a crew of high-priced free-agent starters on defence. That could mean nothing or it could be an indication that the six-foot-three, 300-pound defensive tackle has positioned himself to make the roster. Though his college career was marred by a PED suspension in 2022, Fox was a true freshman starter for a major program and showed some disruptive flashes, particularly when playing at a more CFL-appropriate weight.
B.C. Lions
Photo courtesy: Jeff Vinnick/B.C. Lions
REC Jermaine Jackson, University of Idaho (A)
Based on the Lions’ first game, Jackson is a virtual lock to make the Lions as their primary kick returner — a role he scored four career touchdowns while performing for the Vandals. Even more intriguing was the juice he brought to the B.C. offence, catching a team-high four passes for 54 yards and a touchdown. If the five-foot-seven, 170-pound speedster can develop into even a package weapon, it would go a long way to addressing some of the explosiveness concerns the team is currently facing.
Photo courtesy: Jeff Vinnick/B.C. Lions
DB Robert Carter Jr., Robert Morris University (A)
The Lions were probably hoping for someone larger than five-foot-10 and 175 pounds to emerge as the frontrunner at one of their open halfback spot, but you can’t argue with what Carter’s put on tape. The highest-graded cornerback in all of Division I football last season according to ProFootballFocus, he held opponents to a passer rating of just 29.5 when targeting him and picked off four passes in spectacular fashion. An elite returner in his own right, Carter’s speed allowed him to flash on Vancouver Island and could propel him into the starting lineup.
Photo courtesy: Jeff Vinnick/B.C. Lions
REC Jared Gipson, Sacramento State University (A)
If Gipson makes the final roster, he might be the second most famous person at BC Place for the opener besides Snoop Dogg. The six-foot-one, 205-pound target has over a million followers on TikTok, though the Lions are far more interested in the amount of catches he can reel in than the number of videos he can produce. With a great frame and the suddenness to separate as a route runner, he has been a training camp stand-out and could push for playing time with another strong preseason outing.
Photo courtesy: Jeff Vinnick/B.C. Lions
DB Jackson Findlay, Western University (N)
B.C.’s second-round draft pick may be listed as the third safety on the depth chart for Friday but he was their best player two weeks ago, amassing five total tackles. Findlay is all but guaranteed to make the roster, so the more fascinating thing to watch won’t be how he plays but how he’s utilized. Is there a defensive package that can use both him and starting safety Cristophe Beaulieu at the same time, or will the Lions’ two budding young Canadian DBs cannibalize each other?
