Ottawa Redblacks take Purdue offensive lineman Vaccaro first overall in CFL draft

TORONTO — He came into the CFL draft as the projected first overall pick and Giordano Vaccaro lived up to that billing Tuesday night.

The Ottawa Redblacks used the No. 1 selection to take the six-foot-two, 307-pound Purdue offensive lineman. Vaccaro, of Winnipeg, appeared in all 12 games with the Boilermakers last season, seeing action on offence and special teams.

Vaccaro spent his first three collegiate campaigns at the University of Manitoba, cracking the Bisons’ starting lineup as an 18-year-old freshman. Twice he was an all-Canadian (2023, ’24) and in 2024 was U Sports football’s top down lineman before transferring to Purdue.

“He has impressed us at every step of this process, from what he’s put on tape to getting to know him as a person and talking with his coaches at Purdue and the University of Manitoba,” Ryan Dinwiddie, Ottawa’s head coach/GM, said of Vaccaro. “We can’t wait to get him in the building and on the field next week and we’re excited to welcome Giordano and his family to the nation’s capital.”

The Redblacks opened the sixth round taking Louisville defensive lineman Rene Konga, an Ottawa native who signed with Miami Dolphins on Saturday.

The Toronto Argonauts selected Queen’s offensive lineman Nicklas Henning second overall. The six-foot-six, 298-pound Milton, Ont., native was an Ontario University Athletics (OUA) all-star and second-team all-Canadian last year for the Yates Cup champions.

Henning began his college career as a tight end. He recently accepted invitations to attend the Indianapolis Colts and Las Vegas Raiders rookie mini-camps.

The Edmonton Elks took Rutgers linebacker Dariel Djabome third overall. The six-foot-two, 237-pound Montreal native appeared in 12 games last season, recording 71 tackles (27 solo, 4.5 for loss), two sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

Edmonton stuck with defence in the second round, taking UBC defensive back Benjamin Sangmuah at No. 12. The Ghana native, who grew up in Toronto, was a four-year starter at British Columbia and recently accepted an invitation to the Indianapolis Colts rookie mini-camp.

Seven picks later, Edmonton took a flyer on Louisville defensive lineman Wesley Bailey. The Ottawa native was fourth on the CFL scouting bureau’s top-20 draft prospects list but signed as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Rams last weekend.

At No. 4, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers took Wake Forest defensive lineman Nuer Gatkuoth. The six-foot-three, 237-pound Edmonton native recorded 39 tackles (17 solo, 8.5 for loss), six sacks and a forced fumble in 12 games last season.

Gatkuoth began his NCAA career at Colorado State (2022-24). He recently accepted an invitation to the Denver Broncos rookie mini-camp.

And with the final pick of the second round, 20th overall, Winnipeg took Boston College offensive lineman Kevin Cline, who recently signed with the Miami Dolphins.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats selected Jonathan Denis, an offensive lineman at Louisiana Tech, with the fifth selection. The six-foot-three, 316-pound Denis played 12 games at right guard last year and was born in Montreal but raised in Florida.

In the second round, 14th overall, Hamilton took Coastal Carolina receiver Malik Meiga, of Montreal, who recently signed with the Carolina Panthers. Then in the third round, 25th overall, the Ticats selected Michigan State defensive back Devynn Cromwell.

The six-foot, 200-pound Toronto native played at Guelph (2021-23), Texas Tech (2024) and MSU (2025) but suffered a torn meniscus in his knee at the Spartans’ pro day in March.

With the sixth overall pick, the Calgary Stampeders took linebacker Eric Rascoe, who was a three-time All-Conference selection at Division 2 Angelo State. The six-foot-one, 210-pound Rascoe also spent time with the San Antonio Gunslingers of the Indoor Football League and became eligible for the CFL draft as his mother is Canadian.

The B.C. Lions selected North Dakota receiver Nathan DeMontagnac at No. 7. The six-foot-three, 186-pound Mississauga, Ont., native recorded 38 catches for 462 yards and two TDs with the Fighting Hawks in 2025.

Then in the second round, 15th overall, the Lions took Rutgers safety Jett Elad, a finalist for the Jon Cornish Trophy — given annually to the top Canadian playing NCAA football — three straight seasons. The six-foot-two, 202-pound Elad, of Mississauga, also played collegiately at Ohio (2019-21), Garden City Community College (2022) and the University of Nevada at Las Vegas (2023-24).

The Montreal Alouettes made the first future selection at No. 8 with Arkansas tight end Rohan Jones, who signed with the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent. Jones had 19 catches for 519 yards and four touchdowns last season when the Montreal native started four-of-12 games.

The six-foot-two, 235-pound Jones played at Montana State in 2024, recording 30 receptions for 470 yards and nine touchdowns to earn first-team All-Big Sky honours.

The Grey Cup-champion Saskatchewan Roughriders completed the first round at No. 9 and took Michigan State defensive back Malcolm Bell. The Montreal native started 11-of-12 games last season, recording 33 tackles (five for loss), one sack and four pass knockdowns.

Bell began his NCAA career at UConn (2921-24) and recently accepted an invitation to the Cleveland Browns’ rookie mini-camp. Then with the final pick of the sixth round, 56th overall, the Riders took Mississippi State offensive lineman Albert Reese IV, an Edmonton native who’d signed with the Carolina Panthers.

Seventy-four players were selected over eight rounds.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2026.