There are just days remaining until the 2025 CFL Draft, with hundreds of players waiting to see their pro football dreams realized on Tuesday, April 29 at 6 p.m. ET.
As always, 3DownNation will be your go-to source for extensive coverage of all eight rounds. Analysts J.C. Abbott and Ben Grant will be live on YouTube and Facebook for the entirety of the selection process, breaking down every pick as it happens.
In the lead-up to the festivities, our team has collaborated on prospect rankings at every position, culminating with the unveiling of our annual Top 25. We have already announced the quarterbacks, running backs, fullbacks, receivers, offensive linemen, and defensive linemen. Today, we continue with a linebacker group that is shallow in terms of talent but intriguing at the top. Make sure to come back tomorrow when we reveal the defensive backs.
Linebackers
1) Connor Shay, University of Wyoming (Danville, Cali.)
It took until his senior season with the Cowboys for Shay to climb to the top of the depth chart but his high level of play catapulted him into contention for the first overall pick once he officially qualified for National status. The six-foot-one, 224-pound middle linebacker is athletic enough to potentially earn NFL opportunities as an undrafted free agent but has a more traditional CFL frame, with all the quickness and range to make plays from sideline to sideline. He is an intelligent player rarely fooled by misdirection thanks to his patient feet and disciplined eyes, which should help him adjust and contribute quickly in the three-down game.
2) Devin Veresuk, University of Windsor (Windsor, Ont.)
Six-foot-two, 240-pound U Sports linebackers aren’t supposed to move the way that Veresuk does: buttery smooth in space with effective coverage ability despite his size. He was clocked sub-4.5 in the forty at the Buffalo pro day and is just as strong as he is fast, physically man-handling opponents when he wants to. Those elite traits make him a potential difference-maker at the next level but his eyes aren’t quite as quick as his feet and he can be a step slow to react when sorting through traffic.
3) Jaylen Smith, University of North Texas (Hamilton, Ont.)
A former walk-on who developed into a 100-tackle starter for the Mean Green, Smith spent a large percentage of his time lined up over the slot in college. Though not quite fluid enough to play SAM, that makes him well-suited as a weak-side linebacker in the CFL where his zone coverage skills and proven ability to recover when beaten are a plus. Even if the five-foot-11, 224-pounder never finds the consistency needed to become a CFL starter, his history as an elite collegiate special teams player makes him one of the safest projections for early contributions.
4) Seth Hundeby, University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon, Sask.)
If Veresuk is a physical freak, then Hundeby is a unicorn. The six-foot-two, 251-pounder ran a 4.7 forty at the Combine and posted change of direction numbers that would make most undersized defensive backs blush. That enticing combination of size and speed made him a nightmare to block when blitzing or situational rushing, running straight through opponents’ chests with malicious intent or walloping whoever had the ball. Some teams may see him as a future defensive end as a result but his floor is an absolute mismatch on special teams. No matter what, whoever drafts him will have to wait a year while he returns to Saskatoon to complete his engineering degree.
5) Nicky-Alexander Farinaccio, Université de Montréal (Montreal, Que.)
The 2022 Presidents’ Trophy winner as the best stand-up defensive player in the country, Farinaccio has largely flown under the radar after missing the Combine with a hamstring injury. Listed at an undersized six-foot-one and 217 pounds, he plays much larger and firmly takes on blocks between the tackles without giving up an inch. Much of his award-winning season was predicated on his success as a blitzer but he picks and chooses his moments, showing the fluidity to bail when his initial rush lane gets shutdown.
6) Riley Macleod, Western University (Hamilton, Ont.)
Macleod doesn’t have the pursuit speed or range you want in an elite linebacking prospect but his tape is filled with compensating factors. The six-foot-one, 228-pound defender plays on a hair trigger with a great first step and a nose for the football. The engineering student’s instincts and football IQ also allow him to anticipate concepts and make plays that other players just can’t, far exceeding the limitation of his forty time.
7) Gabriel Lessard, Université de Montréal (Sainte-Julie, Que.)
A backup buried behind two award-winning linebackers during his time with the Carabins, Lessard’s ideal frame and intriguing athletic profile have rocketed him up draft boards. The six-foot-two, 233-pounder projects as a better pro than a university player because of his dominant special teams tape. He’s a reliable tackler in space who is rarely knocked out of his lane and a plus blocker who effectively keeps opponents inside his frame.
8) Lane Novak, University of Saskatchewan (Balgonie, Sask.)
At six-foot-one and 229 pounds, Novak is neither the same size mismatch nor an athletic marvel like his Huskie teammate Hundeby but has been equally productive. He’s a good mover in space who can spot-drop with his eyes on the QB and effectively make plays in zone coverage. He shows some ability to sort through the muck in the run game and dip around larger blockers, but he tends to go into contact a bit high for my liking.
9) Chase Tataryn, University of Alberta (Saskatoon, Sask.)
Extremely undersized at just five-foot-10 and 212 pounds, Tataryn is surprisingly strong for a man of his stature and flashes as a rusher. He’s a better athlete than his average testing numbers would suggest and can fly to the flats with impressive pursuit speed. None of that will be enough for a regular defensive role, but it projects well for success on special teams.
10) Ryan Collins, University of Toronto (Hamilton, Ont.)
Collins measured in at just under six-foot-five and 248 pounds at the Invitational Combine but has cut around 15 pounds since, hopefully addressing some of his stiffness in the process. A massive load of a tackler who spent much of his U Sports career playing out of position at DB, he takes a while to get going but is difficult to stop once he does. Late in the draft, that size and straight-line speed could overshadow all of his defensive flaws in the pursuit of special teams upside.
11) Daniel Flanagan, University of Calgary (Calgary, Alta.)
Extremely productive in limited action, health has been the biggest factor holding Flanagan back. He played just three games last year and 18 total with the Dinos – basically a full season less than anyone else on this list. The six-foot, 225-pounder is an average athlete and reacts a half-beat slower than the other National Combine invitees, but endears himself as a solid form tackler who always drives his feet through contact.
12) Xavier Malone, Carleton University (Dieppe, N.B.)
In a year where we may not see a single AUS player drafted, Malone is one of the few diasporic Maritimers with any pedigree. Undersized at six-foot and 217 pounds, he doesn’t look comfortable in space due to his athletic limitations but comes downhill decisively and delivers some pop on contact. That could have special teams value for a team in desperate need.
13) Chopper Hippe, University of Regina (Lloydminster, Sask.)
Hippe may be in a two-horse race with Tiger Shanks for the best name in the draft but the pair couldn’t be in more different tiers. The six-foot, 224-pound defender is an underwhelming athlete who struggles to change directions and has serious concerns about his play strength, consistently getting bounced around in the churn. His saving grace could be an ability to long snap, which is not yet at a pro calibre but could be developed with focus.
14) Jayden Griffiths, Wilfrid Laurier University (Mississauga, Ont.)
Sometimes a single trait is all teams are looking for late in the draft and Griffiths has straight-line speed on par with the middle tier of linebackers. That has translated into some solid special teams reps from the five-foot-11, 223-pounder, though there is not enough athletically to merit the same projection as Lessard.
15) Harold Miessan, Université de Montréal (Montreal, Que.)
To be frank, this list was stretched this far only out of an abundance of respect for the 2023 Presidents’ Trophy winner. At five-foot-11 and 216 pounds, his testing measurables can only be described as disqualifying for a player of his size. Miessan still might be the hardest hitter in this class and has demolished some opponents when rolled up high as a safety, but that is more opportunism than functional talent. He’s just as likely to avoid contact from larger blockers and might not have the range to survive as a pro.
Other notable names: Maka Bangura, British Columbia | Jalen Rayam, Texas-El Paso | Dayton Ingenhaag, Alberta | Riley Comeau, Acadia | Drake Bodi, McMaster
