The Canadian Football League has unveiled their first Scouting Bureau rankings for the 2024 CFL Draft, headlined by Ohio University quarterback Kurtis Rourke.
Rourke, the younger brother of 2022 Most Outstanding Canadian winner and current NFL quarterback Nathan Rourke, played in 11 games last season, passing for 3,256 yards and 25 touchdowns to four interceptions. He also rushed for 249 yards and four majors, going on to win the 2022 MAC Offensive Player of the Year.
In 23 career games with the Bobcats, the Oakville, Ont. native has passed for 4,912 yards and 35 touchdowns. He is coming off a torn ACL suffered late last year but has already been announced as the Week 0 starter, and is expected to generate significant NFL interest.
The highest-ranked U Sports athlete is offensive lineman Theo Benedet from the University of British Columbia, who came in at number three. The reigning J.P. Metras Trophy winner as Canada’s top down lineman was part of a Thunderbirds team that only allowed 10 sacks in eight games last season, while the offence averaged 6.1 yards per rush. He was named a 2022 Canada West All-Star and First-Team All-Canadian, earning an invitation to the 2022 East-West Shrine Bowl before he opted to return to school for another season.
In total, the fall prospect list includes players from 19 schools, with UBC being the only institution represented by multiple players. 15 prospects are from the NCAA; four are from U Sports; and one hails from Junior College. The largest position group is offensive linemen with 10 prospects, with three linebackers, three wide receivers, two defensive linemen, and one tight end rounding out the group.
Due to the cancellation of the 2020 U Sports football season, the 2024 draft class features fewer athletes from Canadian post-secondary institutions. U SPORTS athletes currently designated as part of the 2025 Draft will be able to opt into the 2024 Class until August 31.
The CFL Scouting Bureau rankings are voted on by scouts, player personnel directors and general managers from the league’s nine clubs. This is the first of three prospect rankings that will be released this season. The full fall list can be found below.
CFL SCOUTING BUREAU: FALL EDITION
(Rank | Name | Position | School | Hometown)
- 1 | Kurtis Rourke | QB | Ohio | Oakville, Ont.
- 2 | Gabe Wallace | OL | Buffalo | Salmon Arm, B.C.
- 3 | Theo Benedet | OL | UBC | North Vancouver, B.C.
- 4 | Kyle Hergel | OL | Boston College | Toronto
- 5 | Isaiah Adams | OL | Illinois | Ajax, Ont.
- 6 | Nick Mardner | WR | Auburn | Oakville, Ont.
- 7 | Daniel Johnson | OL | Purdue | London, Ont.
- 8 | Giovanni Manu | OL | UBC | Pitt Meadows, B.C.
- 9 | Justin Sambu | DL | Baylor | Calgary
- 10 | Geoffrey Cantin-Arku | LB | Memphis | Lévis, Que.
- 11 | Anim Dankwah | OL | Howard | Toronto
- 12 | Tanner McLachlan | TE | Arizona | Lethbridge, Alta.
- 13 | Christy Nkanu | OL | Washington State | Montreal
- 14 | Melique Straker | LB | Arkansas State | Brampton, Ont.
- 15 | Nick Wiebe | LB | Saskatchewan | Okotoks, Alta.
- 16 | Ajou Ajou | WR | Garden City CC (South Florida) | Brooks, Alta.*
- 17 | John Bosse | OL | Calgary | Calgary
- 18 | Kail Dava | DL | Tennessee Tech | Mississauga, Ont.
- 19 | Dhel Duncan-Busby | WR | Bemidji State | Madison, Ohio
- 20 | Eric Schon | OL | Holy Cross | Barrie, Ont.
*Eligible for the 2024 CFL Draft by games played at Clemson and South Florida.
