In the ramp-up to Week One in the NCAA, the trustees of the Jon Cornish Trophy have released their watch list in the race to be the top Canadian player in the NCAA for the 2022 season.
Over 200 Canadian players are on the rosters of NCAA Division I teams this season, with many more throughout D2 and D3 schools. Defensive linemen lead the watch list with four players recognized, followed by three offensive linemen, three linebackers, three wide receivers, two running backs, two defensive backs, and one quarterback and tight end. Three NCAA teams lead the count with two players on the list: Penn State, Illinois, and Syracuse.
2022 Cornish Trophy Watch List
Damien Alford WR (6’6”/211, So.) Syracuse/Montreal, QC
Isaiah Bagnah LB (6’4”/225, LB) Boise State/Lethbridge, AB
Francis Bemiy DL (6’4”/270, Sr.) Southern Utah/Montreal, QC
Matthew Bergeron OL (6’5”/322, Jr.) Syracuse/Victoriaville, QC
Chase Brown RB (5’11”/205, Jr.) Illinois/London, ON
Sydney Brown DB (6’0”/205, Sr.) Illinois/London, ON
Geoffrey Cantin-Arku LB (6’4”/220, Jr.) Memphis/Levis, QC
Kyle Hergel OL (6’2”/300, Jr.) Texas State/Toronto, ON
Theo Johnson TE (6’6”/260, So.) Penn State/Windsor, ON
Nick Mardner WR (6’6”/215, Sr.) Cincinnati/Mississauga, ON
Akheem Mesidor DL (6’3”/280, Jr.) Miami (FL)/Ottawa, ON
Fabrice Mukendi RB (5’9”/195, So.) Bryant/Ottawa, ON
Tavius Robinson DE (6’6”/265, Sr.) Ole Miss/Guelph, ON
Kurtis Rourke QB (6’3”/216, Jr.) Ohio/Oakville, ON
Paris Shand DL (6’5”/290, So.) Arizona/Toronto, ON
Sidy Sow OL (6’5”/326, Sr.) Eastern Michigan/Bromont, QC
Jonathan Sutherland LB (5’11”/211, Sr.) Penn State/Ottawa, ON
Jared Wayne WR (6’3”/210, Sr.) Pitt/Peterborough, ON
Twelve of the 18 players on the watchlist hail from Ontario, five have hometowns in Quebec, and one is from Alberta.
The winner of the Jon Cornish Trophy stands to join some distinguished company as former winners include former Ohio quarterback and current B.C. Lions’ phenom Nathan Rourke (2017 and 2018), NCAA rushing champion and current Carolina Panthers’ running back Chuba Hubbard (2019, Oklahoma State), and national champion and Houston Texans’ draft pick John Metchie III (2020 and 2021, Alabama).
This year’s award will be presented on TSN during the final episode of Krown Gridiron Nation in December. Fans can track the weekly progress of Canadians in the NCAA each week Krown Gridiron Nation on TSN starting Wednesday, September 7.
The Cornish Trophy trustees are also proud to debut a new logo for the award. The logo emulates the pattern of a maple leaf and star united by a football. The design is like the one used on the actual trophy, which is currently on display at the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in Hamilton, Ontario.
