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Recapping the Canadian performances at the 2026 College Gridiron Showcase

For years, the Senior Bowl has marketed itself with the slogan “The Draft starts in Mobile,” referencing the game’s Alabama location and its paramount importance to the NFL selection process. If you’ll indulge me, I’d like to coin an alternative: “The CFL Draft starts in Fort Worth.”

At least that has been the case for myself the last number of years, as I once again travelled to Texas to view the 16 Canadian prospects in attendance at the College Gridiron Showcase. A significant portion of the CFL’s scouting infrastructure was also on hand with all nine teams present, including decision makers who ranked as highly as Winnipeg general manager Kyle Walters or Toronto director of player personnel Jim Barker.

The pure volume of American players at this event every year, and the efforts made to cater to CFL evaluators by organizers like director of scouting Mike Rittelmann (who also works as an area scout with the Stampeders) already make this all-star game a must-attend. The robust number of Canadians invited is simply the cherry on top of it all, providing a real-world gauge for how these players will fare against those who attended big-time NCAA institutions.

Every year seems to offer one big winner amongst the northern contingent, and while there was no Taylor Elgersma or Theo Benedet in this group, it was Queen’s offensive tackle Niklas Henning who undoubtedly raised his profile the most in the eyes of the 32 NFL teams who attended. The native of Milton, Ont., checked in at over six-foot-five and 291 pounds with 34-inch arms; a little light for the league down south, but checking all the other requisite boxes with plenty of room to add to his frame.

Henning is a special mover for a lineman, mostly because he hasn’t been one for long. Before he was an All-Canadian tackle for the Gaels this season, he was an All-Canadian at H-back and caught passes in the Queen’s offence. Many of the inconsistencies in his technique can be attributed to that transition two years ago, and his raw potential is obvious. There wasn’t a rep where he looked out of his depth, and he was able to recover even when defenders got outside his frame.

It made headlines in August when the first edition of the CFL’s top 20 Scouting Bureau rankings featured no U Sports players, and there has been plenty of debate as to who the top Canadian university prospect will end up being. I already suspected that Henning would be in that mix, but what I saw in Texas confirmed that he is the odds-on favourite to be the first U Sports player off the board. That hype should only grow once he blows up the Combine in March, and I expect there will be at least an NFL mini-camp invite in his future, if not more.

In truth, all of the Canadian contingent met or exceeded expectations with their showing at CGS, but three players from the Canada West seemed to get the most glowing reviews. The most eye-opening for me was Calgary linebacker Osasare Odemwingie, who provided a compelling reminder that all-star recognition at the college level is a poor metric for judging the quality of an athlete. Despite never being recognized by conference voters, the six-foot, 220-pound defender shone in the run drills due to his instincts and physicality. He sorted through trash to get to the ball carrier as well as anyone, and could be a sleeper to watch as we head towards the CFL Combine in March.

Osasare was victimized by another Canadian during Sunday’s scrimmage, as Alberta receiver Carter Kettyle made him miss along the sideline for one of the longest gains of the day. Even with his All-Canadian pedigree, you never know how a player like Kettyle will translate to an event like this or at the next level. The six-foot-one, 198-pound target from Grovedale, Alta., bears a striking resemblance to rapper Eminem and did not miss his chance to blow, proving that his fluidity and speed were not out of place amongst Division 1 athletes.

Saskatchewan offensive lineman Jack Warrack also had a good weekend, answering a few of my concerns about his mobility. The six-foot-five, 286-pound tackle burst on the scene back in 2022 as an ultra-rare freshman starter for the Huskies, but had since faded from the limelight and posted some concerning testing results at last year’s East-West Bowl. While the Strathmore, Alta., native did have a few moments where his foot speed was exposed, I thought he held his own at tackle and moved much better than anticipated while demonstrating some nice technical prowess.

It was generally positive results for the remainder of the offensive linemen in attendance as well. Regina’s Ethan Graham was caught flat-footed on a couple of early reps, but settled in nicely as the weekend progressed. At nearly six-foot-six and 322 pounds, he has size that CFL teams will covet highly. McMaster’s Frank Vreugdenhil, who will attend the CFL Regional Combine and did not receive a direct invite to the National, also helped himself. The six-foot-three, 317-pound former shot-putter is a late-comer to football and was able to show off his strength against major competition. Even St. FX’s Chidera Oragui, who probably struggled the most in one-on-ones, was able to put together some good film on Sunday and helped to collapse the edge on one touchdown run.

The receiving class also accomplished what they needed to. Eastern Washington’s Nolan Ulm, who hails from Kelowna, B.C., showed off a trimmed-down frame at nearly six-foot-two and 199 pounds, catching a wide-open touchdown in the scrimmage. Perhaps most intriguing was his arm length measurement, which came in at an impressive 33 7/8 inches. Malick Meiga from Coastal Carolina looked the part at just under six-foot-four and 197 pounds, and the Montreal native demonstrated the fluid strides that helped land him at Penn State initially.

Laurier receiver Layomi Ojutalayo will tell you that there were a couple of reps he wanted back on day one, as he failed to haul in a few contested throws. Don’t expect that to influence his draft stock at all, though, as the six-foot-two, 214-pound target has the potential to be the best offensive special teams player in the CFL and has a build that you want walking off the bus first on gameday. Laval tight end Emeric Boutin can also rest easy knowing that he’ll remain near the top of his position group despite being unable to compete in the scrimmage with a high ankle sprain. The product of L’Assomption, Que., has some wheels on him and could be a real mismatch in the right offence.

Among the defensive players, McMaster’s Ethan Stuart had the best highlight of the week. After overpursuing and missing a tackle that set up his opponent at the goal line in the scrimmage, the six-foot-one, 222-pound safety was involved on three straight plays to stuff the offence, including a tremendous pass breakup. The Oakville, Ont., native is another prospect who could get drafted higher than some expect, even though he has never been an OUA all-star. He’ll likely be moved to linebacker in the CFL because of his size, but I didn’t think he looked out of place with the defensive backs, which is a good sign.

I find that Canadian defenders often have the most to contend with in rapidly making the transition to the American game, and that was true this year as well. Saskatchewan defensive end Charlie Parks came in slightly lighter than I anticipated, measuring six-foot-four and 222 pounds. There is no doubt about the Canada West lineman of the year’s ability to carve out a role at the next level, but the lack of bulk was a hurdle at times against top NCAA competition, and he didn’t flash as much as I had become accustomed to during the Huskies’ Vanier Cup run. With that said, he was never physically manhandled either, making his performance mostly a wash.

CFL teams are already bumping Windsor safety Harrison Daley up their boards because of his unique frame, measuring a true six-foot-three and 214 pounds. One-on-one man coverage drills aren’t a productive demonstration of what he does well, though, and there were some predictable busts. I thought he was far more comfortable playing up high on gameday. Ottawa’s Patrick Cumberbatch performed similarly at cornerback to what his twin brother, Eric, did last year before landing with the Redblacks. He is a certified athletic freak who should win a couple of Combine events outright at six-foot-one and 192 pounds, but will have to answer the same questions about physicality and positional fit.

His Gee-Gees teammate, Jaxxon Brashear, had some additional eyes on him throughout the experience, as he was chosen as one of the players to be featured on CGS’ annual documentary, which is produced by Mint Farm Films and will be available to stream on Victory+ in the coming months. The six-foot-one, 226-pound linebacker was chosen because of his famous father, NHL enforcer Donald Brashear, but left an impression with the production team for showing up in a shirt and tie in order to demonstrate his professionalism, rather than the team-issued athletic gear worn by most players. On the field, I thought he had a more difficult time adjusting his eyes to the American game than Odemwingie, but he did flash some of the range that has allowed him so much success in a hybrid role in Canada.

Ultimately, a player’s performance at an all-star game is just a small piece in the pre-draft process, providing teams with another data point on which to base their decisions. What can be definitively ascertained every year in Fort Worth is that the gap between U Sports and the highest levels of NCAA competition is not nearly as wide as the uninitiated might suggest, and that Canadian talent continues to reach new heights no matter which collegiate path they choose to take.

That has made the CFL Draft more fascinating to cover every single year, and 2026 should be no exception. Stay tuned to 3DownNation as we get ready for the CFL Combine in Edmonton in March.

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J.C. Abbott is a University of British Columbia graduate and high school football coach. He covers the CFL, B.C. Lions, CFL Draft and the three-down league's Global initiative.

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