Nebraska offensive lineman Knevel tops CFL Scouting Bureau’s top-20 list

TORONTO – Nebraska offensive lineman David Knevel opens the season as the CFL Scouting Bureau’s top-ranked prospect for the league’s 2018 draft.

The six-foot-nine, 315-pound native of Brampton, Ont., secured the top spot in the organization’s top-20 list Wednesday. He was an academic All-Big Ten selection last season.

Trey Rutherford, a six-foot-five, 312-pound offensive lineman at UConn, is ranked No. 2. The native of Markham, Ont., appeared in 12 games last year, starting seven, and helped the Huskies’ offence rush for 100 or more yards in six games.

Bowling Green tackle Ryan Hunter stands third. The native of North Bay, Ont., started all 12 games for the Falcons last year and has been named an academic All-MAC player in each of his three seasons.

At No. 4, Laurier defensive back Godfrey Onyeka is the highest-ranked Canadian university player on the list. The native of Brampton was a first team All-Canadian in 2015 and OUA all-star rookie in 2014.

Calgary offensive lineman Darius Ciraco is ranked fifth. The six-foot-four, 295-pound native of Burlington, Ont., appeared in four games last season.

Rounding out the top-10 are: Rice offensive lineman Peter Godber (Toronto); Laval receiver Pierre Tyrone (Ottawa); Carleton defensive lineman Kene Onyeka (Brampton); Montreal receiver Regis Cibasu (Kinshasa, Congo); and Georgia State defensive lineman Julien Laurent (Toronto).

The scouting bureau consists of CFL scouts, player-personnel directors and GMs with the league’s nine teams.