It’s been quite the year for a pair of up-and-coming Canadian NFL receivers.
Chase Claypool and N’Keal Harry have continued to produce since I last took stock of their progress in October. It’ll be awhile before either player catches No. 1 all-time Canadian NFL target Nate Burleson, but the young Canucks are on pace to soon reach the top five in some key statistical categories.
Chase Claypool, N’Keal Harry moving up all-time list of Canadian-born NFL receivers
Claypool needs 392 receiving yards over his final four regular season games to catch Whitby, Ont. native O.J. Santiago for fifth all-time in NFL receiving yards among Canadian-born players. That’s a tall order — he’s currently averaging 54.1 yards per game — but nothing is out of the question for the sensational deep threat.
Harry needs 618 yards to reach 1,000 on his career, which isn’t attainable this season. The Patriots’ anemic passing offence has limited his production, though it’s possible he’ll blossom next season with some changes to the team’s offensive attack.
Scoring-wise, Claypool is already sixth on the all-time touchdowns list with ten. He needs just one more to tie La Salle, Ont. native Luke Willson for fifth all-time and two more to surpass him. It’ll take a few years for Claypool to continue climbing the list — Burleson needed eleven years to notch his 39 scores — but he’s set a remarkable pace early in his career.
Harry has two touchdowns on the season, matching his total from a year ago. He’s on pace to crack the top ten in 2022, though I expect he’ll get more attention in the red zone as New England improves through the air.
Receptions & Yardage — Canadian-born NFL players
1. REC Nate Burleson — 457 receptions, 5,630 yards
2. REC Tommy Kane — 142 receptions, 2,034 yards
3. REC Austin Collie — 179 receptions, 1,908 yards
4. TE Luke Willson* — 111 receptions, 1,307 yards
5. TE O.J. Santiago — 81 receptions, 1,041 yards
6. REC T.J. Jones — 67 receptions, 852 yards
7. REC Chase Claypool* — 47 receptions, 649 yards
8. RB Rueben Mayes — 57 receptions, 401 yards
9. REC N’Keal Harry* — 41 receptions, 382 yards
10. RB Ray Hare — 28 receptions, 359 yards
11. TE Wayne Stewart — 27 receptions, 355 yards
12. TE Teyo Johnson — 26 receptions, 288 yards
13. RB Paul Duhart — 9 receptions, 176 yards
14. RB Cece Hare — 9 receptions, 173 yards
15. FB Bronko Nagurski — 11 receptions, 134 yards
Touchdown rushes/receptions — Canadian-born NFL players
1. REC Nate Burleson — 39
2. FB Bronko Nagurski — 25
3. RB Rueben Mayes — 23
4. REC Austin Collie — 16
5. TE Luke Willson* — 11
6. REC Chase Claypool* — 10
T-7. TE O.J. Santiago — 9
T-7. REC Tommy Kane — 9
9. QB Mark Rypien — 8
10. TE Joe Rooney — 7
11. RB Tommy Hughitt — 6
T-12. RB Paul Duhart – 5
T-12. REC T.J. Jones — 5
T-14. QB Charlie O’Rourke — 4
T-14. REC N’Keal Harry* — 4
T-16. RB Ray Hare — 3
T-16. RB Bill Rooney — 3
T-16. RB Ted Williams — 3
A few people reached out after my last article to ask why Jerome Pathon wasn’t on the list. The NFL’s official records include only Canadian-born players and, though raised in B.C., Pathon was born in Cape Town, South Africa.
Tim Biakabutuka was also left out of consideration for this reason. The former first-round NFL draft pick was born in Zaire before moving to Montreal at age four. One oversight on the NFL’s list is Ryan Thelwell, who is listed as Canadian-born in their records despite being born in Jamaica.
I’ve decided to keep an unofficial second list of Canadians to include players who weren’t born in Canada but hold citizenship. After all, you don’t have to be born in Canada to be Canadian.
Receptions & Yardage — Canadian NFL players
1. REC Nate Burleson — 457 receptions, 5,630 yards
2. REC Jerome Pathon — 260 receptions, 3,350 yards
3. REC Tommy Kane — 142 receptions, 2,034 yards
4. REC Austin Collie — 179 receptions, 1,908 yards
5. TE Luke Willson* — 111 receptions, 1,307 yards
6. TE O.J. Santiago — 81 receptions, 1,041 yards
7. REC T.J. Jones — 67 receptions, 852 yards
8. RB Tim Biakabutuka — 77 receptions, 789 yards
9. REC Chase Claypool* — 47 receptions, 649 yards
10. RB Rueben Mayes — 57 receptions, 401 yards
11. REC N’Keal Harry* — 41 receptions, 382 yards
12. RB Ray Hare — 28 receptions, 359 yards
13. TE Wayne Stewart — 27 receptions, 355 yards
14. TE Teyo Johnson — 26 receptions, 288 yards
15. REC Ryan Thelwell — 16 receptions, 268 yards
Touchdown rushes/receptions — Canadian NFL players
1. REC Nate Burleson — 39
2. FB Bronko Nagurski — 25
3. RB Rueben Mayes — 23
4. RB Tim Biakabutuka — 17
5. REC Austin Collie — 16
6. REC Jerome Pathon — 15
7. TE Luke Willson* — 11
8. REC Chase Claypool — 10
T-9. TE O.J. Santiago — 9
T-9. REC Tommy Kane — 9
11. QB Mark Rypien — 8
12. TE Joe Rooney — 7
13. RB Tommy Hughitt — 6
T-14. RB Paul Duhart – 5
T-14. REC T.J. Jones — 5
T-16. QB Charlie O’Rourke — 4
T-16. REC N’Keal Harry* — 4
T-19. RB Ray Hare — 3
T-19. RB Bill Rooney — 3
T-19. RB Ted Williams — 3
Asterisk (*) = active NFL player
