April 29, 2026 – A total of 16 current and former Canada West football student-athletes realized the dream of hearing their names called at the 2026 Canadian Football League Canadian Draft on Tuesday evening.
All six CW programs featured at least one selection. Calgary led the way with five picks off their current roster, followed by UBC with three. Alberta and Saskatchewan had two, while Manitoba and Regina had a single selection each.
In addition to the 14 current players called, a former Canada West standout kicked off the evening by making history at the top of the board.
Former Manitoba offensive lineman Giordano Vaccaro was taken first overall by the Ottawa REDBLACKS, becoming the first Bison product to be selected first overall. Vaccaro delivered three outstanding seasons with Manitoba from 2022-24 before transferring to Purdue University last fall.
He was a sheer force in his time with the Bisons, being named a two-time all-Canadian and the 2024 winner of the J.P. Metras Trophy as the country's outstanding lineman.
UBC linebacker Ben Sangmuah was the first current Canada West player off the board, taken 12th overall by the Edmonton Elks – the highest UBC selection since Lake Korte-Moore went third overall in 2023. Sangmuah turned the heads of scouting staffs on both sides of the border this past season, racking up 22 solo and 34.5 total tackles during the 2025 regular season campaign.
He was the first of three Thunderbird selections, followed by a pair of seventh round picks in linebacker Chase Henning (63rd – BC Lions) and receiver Shemar McBean (65th – Saskatchewan Roughriders).
Alberta receiver Carter Kettyle was the second Canada West player selected, 21st overall by the hometown Edmonton Elks. Kettyle had the best season of his varsity career in 2025 as he led Canada West in yards per reception, finished second in receiving touchdowns, and fifth in yards and yards per game.
Kettyle was joined by teammate Matthew Ljuden (OL), who was also taken by the Elks at 59th overall.
Manitoba receiver Nathan Udoh went 28th to Montreal. The Winnipeg native had the best season of his U SPORTS career in 2025, earning a direct invite to the CFL National Combine after finishing in a tie for fifth in Canada West in receptions (40) and sixth in receiving yards (531).
A flurry of Calgary Dinos were selected in the middle rounds, with Brayden Szeman (OL), Osasere Odemwingie (LB), Matt Sibley (REC), Ben Dobson (LB) and Chris Pashula (OL) all selected in an exciting night for the scarlet and gold. Former Dino Ben Britton was also drafted by Winnipeg.
It's the 25th consecutive year the Dinos have had at least one player selected in the CFL Draft.
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\n University of Calgary Athletics \n The Saskatchewan Huskies had two selections, beginning with Canada West Outstanding Lineman Charlie Parks (DL) taken 31st by Ottawa. Teammate Jack Warrack (OL) was selected by Calgary at 71.
Offensive lineman Ethan Graham was the lone Regina Rams selection of the evening, picked up by the BC Lions at 54th overall. In 2025, Graham earned Canada West all-star recognition after starting five conference games and both postseason games at left tackle.
In total, 47 U SPORTS standouts were selected on Tuesday, making U SPORTS the largest source of Canadian talent (NCAA FBS: 23, FCS: 5, Division II: 1) for the CFL, including Vaccaro and Devynn Cromwell (Guelph / Michigan State), who played on both sides of the border.
Among U SPORTS conferences, Canada West's 14 selections were second only to the OUA (23), followed by the RSEQ with six selections and two picks from the AUS. Canada West's total becomes 16 after including former players Vaccaro and Britton.
All eyes now look forward to the 2026 Canada West football season, with the schedule set to be released later in May.
About Canada West
As the leading university athletic conference in the country, Canada West is home to student-athletes that excel in the classroom and their communities. The conference is comprised of 17 member institutions spanning from Victoria to Winnipeg, with over 3,200 student-athletes competing across 14 sports. Canada West’s mission is to train leaders and build champions by providing leadership in the delivery, regulation, and promotion of university level high performance sports programs throughout western Canada.
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