Opinion: 2022 CFL Draft receiver class already one of best ever

Photo edit: 3DownNation

It hasn’t taken long for the receiver class from the 2022 CFL Draft to establish itself as one of the best in league history.

Samuel Emilus, the Most Valuable Canadian in the 112th Grey Cup, was the seventh overall pick by the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He’s already earned one All-West Division selection, recorded two 1,000-yard seasons, and would likely have had another in 2025 had he not missed half the year due to injuries to his foot and knee.

Kiondré Smith, a fourth-round pick of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, had his first 1,000-yard season in 2025 and has already eclipsed 3,000 receiving yards on his career. The native of Markham, Ont. earned an All-East Division selection last year and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he garnered another in 2026 given the strength of Hamilton’s passing game.

Emilus and Smith have accomplished something rare in CFL history as two 1,000-yard receivers from the same draft class. Since 2000, only two other draft classes have produced multiple 1,000-yard receivers, those being 2003 (Paris Jackson and Dave Stala) and 2019 (Kurleigh Gittens Jr. and Justin McInnis).

There’s only one CFL draft class with more than two 1,000-yard receivers: 1988.

Paul Masotti, Jeff Fairholm, and Ken Evraire were each top-15 picks that year and enjoyed long, productive careers. The trio recorded a combined eight 1,000-yard seasons, 20,088 receiving yards, 121 touchdowns, five all-star selections, five Grey Cup victories, and a Grey Cup Most Valuable Canadian award.

One could argue the 1965 CFL Draft had four 1,000-yard receivers, though there’s a caveat: Terry Evanshen and Gerry Shaw were territorial selections, not draft picks. It’s a technicality, but Jim Young and Ken Nielsen are the only official 1,000-yard receivers from that year.

Getting back to the 2022 receiver class, the group also features the Philpot twins.

Jalen was the fifth overall pick to the Calgary Stampeders and Tyson was the ninth overall pick to the Montreal Alouettes. The brothers have already accomplished a lot, yet remain just 25.

Jalen has caught 150 passes for 1,806 yards and nine touchdowns in Cowtown, numbers that would be even better had he not missed almost the entire 2023 season after undergoing hamstring surgery. He seems primed for a big year in 2026.

Tyson was the East Division’s nominee for Most Outstanding Rookie in 2022, helped the Alouettes win the 110th Grey Cup, and was named the game’s Most Valuable Canadian. He was on pace for over 1,200 yards in 2025 but missed six games due to a hamstring injury.

Neither of the Philpots have had 1,000-yard seasons but it seems like only a matter of time before that occurs for one or both. If that happens, it’ll be groundbreaking: four 1,000-yard receivers from the same draft class.

To date, Emilus, Smith, and the Philpots have recorded a combined 10,301 receiving yards and 52 touchdowns.

The group has along way to go to catch the trio from 1988 (20,088 yards) or the unofficial quartet from 1965 (28,017 yards) but they’re well on their way.

It’s only been four years but it doesn’t seem premature to start talking about the receiver class from the 2022 CFL Draft as one of the best ever.