Evaluating Top Canadian Prospects For 2024 CFL Draft

How did the top Canadian prospects perform in their college seasons going into the 2024 CFL Draft.

With the CFL and U Sports seasons complete along with the college football season in the United States almost done, the focus shifts to the next generation of Canadians in the CFL Draft in 2024.

U Sports completed their season Saturday as the Montreal Carabins won their second-ever Vanier Cup defeating the UBC Thunderbirds 16-9. It was the 58th edition of the cup as the two teams played at Richardson Memorial Stadium in Kingston, Ontario.

Congratulations to the @Carabins for winning the 2023 Vanier Cup! 🏆🏈 pic.twitter.com/gETCozOOeP

— NFL Canada (@NFLCanada) November 25, 2023

College football in the United States completed their regular season on Saturday. Conference championship games are next week and bowl season right after that.

Now is the time that all nine CFL teams will be evaluating who are the top Canadian college players entering the 2024 CFL Draft. Back in August, the CFL Scouting Bureau released their list of the top prospects in the fall. They will release a winter and spring list in the upcoming months. 

Here is a list of the fall prospects entering the college football season and how they have done during the regular season:

CFL College Bureau Top Prospects Fall

1. Kurtis Rourke, QB, Ohio (2023 Stats: 2,207 passing yards, 11 passing touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 219 rushing yards, 4 rushing touchdowns, became second leading passer in Ohio history)
2. Gabe Wallace, OL, Buffalo (Started at left guard in 2023, 2022 All-MAC third team)
3. Theo Benedet, OL, UBC (Won second straight J.P. Metras Trophy for Most Outstanding Lineman, first offensive lineman to ever do it)
4. Kyle Hergel, OL, Boston College (Started at left guard, multiple All-Sun Belt teams with Texas State)
5. Isaiah Adams, OL, Illinois (Started at left guard and right tackle in 2023, 2022 third-team All-Big Ten)
6. Nick Mardner, WR, Auburn (Career stats: 81 receptions, 1,488 yards, 11 touchdowns)
7. Daniel Johnson, OL, Purdue (Played left tackle)
8. Giovanni Manu, OL, UBC (2023 second-team All-Canadian team at left tackle)
9. Justin Sambu, DL, Baylor (Career stats: 33 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles)
10. Geoffrey Cantin-Arku, LB, Memphis (2023 Stats: 72 tackles, 2 pass deflections, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles, 1 interception)
11. Anim Dankwah, OL, Howard (2023 first-team All-MEAC)
12. Tanner McLachlan, TE, Arizona (2023 stats: 35 receptions, 440 yards, 2 touchdowns)
13. Christy Nkanu, OL, Washington State (Played at right tackle, All-Western Athletic Conference first team at Southern Utah)
14. Melique Straker, LB, Arkansas State (2023 stats: 79 tackles, 2 interceptions, 1 touchdown)
15. Nick Wiebe, LB, Saskatchewan (2023 Canada West All-Star, 2023 Stats: 65 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble)
16. Ajou Ajou, WR, Garden City CC (South Florida) (Career stats: 10 receptions, 123 yards, 1 touchdown)
17. John Bosse, OL, Calgary (Played in national East-West Bowl in 2023)
18. Kail Dava, DL, Tennessee Tech (Career stats: 38 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles)
19. Dhel Duncan-Busby, WR, Bemidji State (2023 stats: 49 receptions, 825 yards, 11 touchdowns)
20. Eric Schon, OL, Holy Cross (2023 All-Patriot League second team)

Typically in the past, the winter rankings were released in January, which would be four months prior to the CFL Draft in May.

CFL 2024 Offseason Changes to Watch

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