Hurricanes’ DL Mesidor first on CFL Scouting Bureau’s fall top-20 draft list

TORONTO — Defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor of the Miami Hurricanes was ranked No. 1 on Wednesday in the CFL Scouting Bureau’s fall edition of the top-20 prospects for the league’s 2026 draft.

Mesidor, of Ottawa, had 32 tackles (17 solo) in 13 games last season. He also had nine tackles for a loss, 5.5 sacks and one forced fumble in securing All-ACC Honourable Mention honours.

Mesidor played two seasons at West Virginia before transferring to Miami. He has started 37-of-50 career college games, registering 145 tackles (85 solo), 35 tackles for a loss and 23 sacks.

Logan Taylor of Lunenburg, N.S., an offensive lineman at Boston College, was second on the list ahead of Ottawa’s Wesley Bailey (defensive lineman at Louisville), Montreal’s Nick Cenacle (receiver at Hawaii) and Edmonton’s Albert Reese IV (offensive lineman at Mississippi State).

Rounding out the top-10 were Rutgers defensive back Jett Elad (Mississauga, Ont.), Louisville defensive lineman Rene Konga (Ottawa), Michigan State defensive back Devynn Cromwell (Toronto), Eastern Washington receiver Nolan Ulm (Kelowna, B.C.) and Rutgers linebacker Dariel Djabome (Montreal).

Cromwell played three seasons at Guelph before transferring to Texas Tech and then Michigan State. Also, Purdue offensive lineman Giordano (Winnipeg), ranked No. 11m spent three years at the University of Manitoba before joining the Boilermakers.

The CFL Scouting Bureau is made up of scouts, player-personnel directors and GMs with the league’s nine teams. It releases its rankings three times annually — fall, winter and spring.

The fall list include six offensive linemen, five defensive backs, four defensive linemen, two receivers and linebackers and a tight end. In all, 17 schools are represented with Louisville, Rutgers and Michigan State all having multiple players.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20, 2024.