Northern uprising: every Canadian player ever selected in the NFL Draft

Courtesy: AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

More Canadian players are drawing attention from NFL scouts than ever before, which could allow for a new record to be set during this year’s draft.

Three players from north of the border were selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, falling just one selection short of the record of four set in 2014. Though John Metchie III missed his entire rookie season due to a leukemia diagnosis, seventh-round picks Deane Leonard and Jesse Luketa dressed for a combined 24 regular season games with their new teams.

The 2023 NFL Draft will take place from Thursday, April 27 to Saturday, April 29 and could realistically see as many as five Canadians be selected. Matthew Bergeron, Sydney Brown, Chase Brown, Tavius Robinson, and Sidy Sow are all hoping to have their names called with Bergeron potentially going as early as late in the first round.

Since 1966 — the start of the Super Bowl Era — there have been 70 Canadian players selected in the NFL Draft. At least one player from north of the border has been chosen in the NFL from 2011 to 2022, the longest-ever streak that is expected to grow to 13 years this week.

Below is the comprehensive list of all the Canadian players who have ever been drafted into the NFL.

2022

REC John Metchie III, Alabama — second round, Houston Texans
DB Deane Leonard, Ole Miss — seventh round, Los Angeles Chargers
LB Jesse Luketa, Penn State — seventh round, Arizona Cardinals

2021

DB Jevon Holland, Oregon — second round, Miami Dolphins
DB Benjamin St-Juste, Minnesota — third round, Washington Football Team
REC Josh Palmer, Tennessee — third round, Los Angeles Chargers
RB Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State — fourth round, Carolina Panthers

2020

REC Chase Claypool, Notre Dame — second round, Pittsburgh Steelers
DL Neville Gallimore, Oklahoma — third round, Dallas Cowboys

2019

REC N’Keal Harry, Arizona State — first round, New England Patriots

2018

DL Nathan Shepherd, Fort Hays State — third round, New York Jets

2017

OL Justin Senior, Mississippi State — sixth round, Seattle Seahawks

2016

DL David Onyemata, Manitoba — fourth round, New Orleans Saints

2015

DL Christian Covington, Rice — sixth round, Houston Texans

2014

DL Brent Urban, Virginia — fourth round, Baltimore Ravens
OL John Urschel, Penn State — fifth round, Baltimore Ravens
REC T.J. Jones, Notre Dame — sixth round, Detroit Lions
OL Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, McGill — sixth round, Kansas City Chiefs

2013

TE Luke Willson, Rice — fifth round, Seattle Seahawks

2012

DL Tyrone Crawford, Boise State — third round, Dallas Cowboys
OL Philip Blake, Baylor — fourth round, Denver Broncos
DL Christo Bilukidi, Georgia State — sixth round, Oakland Raiders

2011

OL Danny Watkins, Baylor — first round, Philadelphia Eagles
OL Orlando Franklin, Miami — second round, Denver Broncos

2009

DL Vaughn Martin, Western — fourth round, San Diego Chargers
REC Austin Collie, Brigham Young — fourth round, Indianapolis Colts

2005

OL Nick Kaczur, Toledo — third round, New England Patriots
DB O.J. Atogwe, Stanford — third round, St. Louis Rams

2004

DB Jason David, Washington State — fourth round, Indianapolis Colts

2003

TE Teyo Johnson, Stanford — second round, Oakland Raiders
REC Nate Burleson, Nevada — third round, Minnesota Vikings

2001

QB Jesse Palmer, Florida — fourth round, New York Giants
DL Randy Chevrier, McGill — seventh round, Jacksonville Jaguars

2000

DL Rob Meier, Washington State — seventh round, Jacksonville Jaguars

1998

REC Jerome Pathon, Acadia/Washington — second round, Indianapolis Colts

1997

TE O.J. Santiago, Kent State — third round, Atlanta Falcons

1996

RB Tim Biakabutuka, Michigan — first round, Carolina Panthers

1995

OL Andrew Greene, Indiana — second round, Miami Dolphins
LB Phil Yeboah-Kodie, Penn State — fifth round, Denver Broncos
DB Mark Montreuil, Concordia — seventh round, San Diego Chargers

1994

P Mitch Berger, Colorado — sixth round, Philadelphia Eagles

1992

OL Tom Nutten, Western Michigan — seventh round, St. Louis Rams
REC Tyrone Williams, Western — ninth round, Arizona Cardinals
P Klaus Wilmsmeyer, Louisville — 12th round, San Francisco 49ers

1990

OL Mohammed Elewonibi, Brigham Young — third round, Washington Football Team
OL Ian Beckles, Indiana — fifth round, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
OL Bill Hitchcock, Purdue — eighth round, Seattle Seahawks

1989

OL Tony Mandarich, Michigan State — first round, Green Bay Packers

1988

REC Tommy Kane, Syracuse — third round, Seattle Seahawks
LB Brian Forde, Washington State — seventh round, New Orleans Saints
OL Larry Clarkson, Montana — eighth round, San Francisco 49ers

1986

OL Mike Schad, Queen’s — first round, Los Angeles Rams
DL Markus Koch, Boise State — second round, Washington Football Team
RB Rueben Mayes, Washington State — third round, New Orleans Saints
QB Mark Rypien, Washington State — sixth round, Washington Football Team

1984

DL Michel Bourgeau, Boise State — 11th round, New Orleans Saints

1983

OL Jim Mills, Hawaii — ninth round, Baltimore Colts
OL Chris Schultz, Arizona — seventh round, Dallas Cowboys

1982

QB Luc Tousignant, Fairmont State — eighth round, Buffalo Bills
QB Dan Feraday, Toronto — 12th round, Cincinnati Bengals

1981

OL Justin Cross, Western State — 10th round, Buffalo Bills
OL Allan Kennedy, Washington State — 10th round, Washington Football Team

1980

K/P Eddie Murray, Tulane — seventh round, Detroit Lions

1979

LB John Priestner, Western — 11th round, Baltimore Colts

1976

REC Brian Fryer, Alberta — tighth round, Washington Football Team

1975

OL Art Kuehn, San Jose State — 15th round, Washington Football Team

1972

QB/K Eric Guthrie, Boise State — 14th round, San Francisco 49ers

1969

K Roy Gerela, New Mexico State — fourth round, Houston Oilers
TE Wayne Stewart, California — 15th round, New York Jets

1966

DL Gary Pettigrew, Stanford — second round, Philadelphia Eagles

Justin Dunk
Justin Dunk is a football insider, sports reporter and anchor.