The B.C. Lions and Winnipeg Blue Bombers have once again paced the league with their Canadian content, earning additional draft capital for the second straight year.
3DownNation has confirmed that the two franchises have each been awarded an extra pick at the end of the second round of the 2025 CFL Draft for having the highest percentage of snaps played by National players last season. The two teams also earned the two top spots in 2023 but have switched their order, with Winnipeg awarded the 18th overall selection and B.C. picking 19th.
The Lions got the first bonus pick in the 2024 CFL Draft, selecting receiver Ezechiel Tieide out of Concordia with the 19th selection. The Bombers followed them at 20th overall, using their additional pick on UBC defensive tackle Kyle Samson.
Winnipeg regularly started nine Canadians last season en route to their fifth consecutive Grey Cup appearance — two more than the required quota of seven true National starters. This included players at non-traditional ratio positions like All-CFL cornerback Tyrell Ford and strong-side linebacker Redha Kramdi, as well as running back Brady Oliveira, who became the fourth Canadian to ever win the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player award.
B.C. regularly fielded eight or more Canadian starters, including a rotation in the secondary of Cristophe Beaulieu, Patrice Rene, and Adrian Greene that saw them play Nationals at strong-side linebacker and field halfback on occasion. Slotback Justin McInnis became the first Canadian to lead the CFL in receiving yardage since 2010, while quarterback Nathan Rourke and defensive end Mathieu Betts took substantial reps after returning from the NFL.
The CFL has awarded two additional draft picks at the end of the second round since 2019, originally providing a territorially restricted selection to the two worst teams in the league from the previous season. That was changed under the terms of the new collective bargaining agreement to instead reward teams for playing their Canadians, with no territorial restrictions beginning with the 2024 Draft.
B.C. is currently slated to pick third overall in this year’s draft but is expected to forfeit that selection due to salary cap violations. With the additional pick, they’ll still hold three of the top 20 selections — the ninth overall pick acquired in the Vernon Adams Jr. trade, 12th overall, and 19th overall. Winnipeg will also pick three times in the top 20 and currently holds the seventh overall, 16th overall, and 18th overall selections.
The 2025 CFL Draft is scheduled for Tuesday, April 29 at 8:00 p.m. EST. The Calgary Stampeders hold the first overall pick.
