Canadian offensive lineman Carter O’Donnell has signed with the Indianapolis Colts, per NFL sources.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, O’Donell’s University of Alberta pro day was cancelled. It was originally scheduled to take place on Thursday, March 19 inside the Foote Field dome and there were eight NFL teams who had planned to be in attendance and every CFL franchise.
O’Donnell was named a first-team U Sports All-Canadian for his efforts in anchoring the Alberta offensive line in 2019. He helped the Golden Bears average 399 yards of total offence and 5.2 yards per rush. Scouts noticed his talent on film and it earned him an invite to the prestigious East-West Shrine Game.
For more than three decades, at least two Canadian university players have been invited to the annual event in Florida. It features a week of practices in front of NFL and CFL coaches and personnel men followed by a game broadcast on the NFL Network. This year’s contest took place on January 18.
The Shrine Game is the oldest United States college football all-star showcase. It has served as an NFL launching point for Canadian players such as tight end Antony Auclair (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), defensive lineman David Onyemata (New Orleans Saints) and offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (Kansas City Chiefs) in recent years.
The 21-year-old took advantage of the opportunity and impressed NFL scouts.
