Former J.P. Metras winner Vaccaro goes first overall in 2026 CFL Canadian Draft
Giordano Vaccaro, a two-time all-Canadian and the 2024 winner of the J.P. Metras Trophy as the country's outstanding lineman, was taken first overall by the Ottawa REDBLACKS in the 2026 CFL Canadian Draft. The league held its annual selection on Tuesday night, with 74 players selected overall. Vaccaro, who played three years at Manitoba before transferring to Purdue University of Indiana, is the first former Bison to go first overall.
His selection was immediately followed by Toronto selecting Queen's offensive lineman Niklas Henning, who was a 2025 All-Canadian.
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.
The draft saw players from 19 of the 27 U SPORTS programs selected, with Calgary and Windsor both leading the way with six selections each. The OUA was the leading conference, with 23 players chosen, followed by Canada West with 16, the RSEQ with six and there were two picks from AUS.
Offensive linemen led the U SPORTS charge with 11 selections, while receivers were close behind with nine.
Toronto led the CFL with nine of their 11 selections coming from U SPORTS. They were followed by Edmonton, who used seven of their nine choices in U SPORTS.
The 2026 CFL season begins on June 4, 2026. The 2026 U SPORTS regular season will kick off on August 29.
U SPORTS IN THE CFL DRAFT – BY THE NUMBERS:
By Conference:
- OUA: 23
- Canada West: 16
- RSEQ: 6
- AUS: 2
By School:
- 6: Calgary, Windsor
- 5: Laurier
- 3: UBC, Guelph, McMaster, Montréal, Queen's
- 2: Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, York
- 1: Concordia, Laval, McGill, Ottawa, Regina, Saint Mary's, STFX
By Position:
- Offensive line: 11
- Receivers: 9
- Linebackers: 9
- Defensive backs: 6
- Kickers: 3
- Running backs: 3
- Fullbacks: 3
- Defensive linemen: 2
- Quarterbacks: 1
Offensive: 27, Defensive: 17, Special Teams: 3