April 24, 2023

CFL Draft Rewind: Eight years of first rounders

David Chidley/CFL.ca

TORONTO — First-round picks are a highly sought-after commodity in the Canadian Football League.

The individuals slated to go in the first round are always coveted by front offices, especially those that can fill roles to help with the ratio on a CFL roster. There’s also a chance for a squad to hit on the next big player to be produced from north of the border.

MORE CFL DRAFT COVERAGE
» View: 2023 CFL Draft order 
» Mock 1.0: What will Ottawa do with the first overall pick?
» The Art of the Steal: 10 hidden Draft gems

As the Ottawa REDBLACKS get set to pick first overall next week, CFL.ca looks back on the last eight years of first-round picks from across the league:

BC Lions

2022: DL Nathan Cherry (3)
2021:
DL Daniel Joseph (4)
2020: LB Jordan Williams (1)
2019: No first-round pick
2018: 
OL Peter Godber (3), DL Julien Laurent (7)
2017:
 WR Danny Vandervoort (3), DL Junior Luke (7)
2016:
OL Charles Vaillancourt (5)
2015: DL Ese Mrabure (5)


Calgary Stampeders

2022: WR Jalen Philpot (5)
2021:
LB Amen Ogbongbemiga (8)
2020
: DL Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund (3)
2019:
WR Hergy Mayala (8)
2018: 
OL Ryan Sceviour (8)
2017:
DL Randy Colling (6)
2016:
LB Alex Singleton (6)
2015:
 OL Karl Lavoie (9)


Edmonton Elks

2022: LB Enock Makonzo (4), QB Tre Ford (8)
2021:
DL Cole Nelson (5)
2020: OL Tomas Jack-Kurdyla (4)
2019:
DL Mathieu Betts (3)
2018: 
No first-round pick
2017:
WR Nate Behar (5)
2016:
WR Tevaun Smith (8)
2015:
 OL Danny Groulx (7)


Saskatchewan Roughriders

2022: WR Samuel Emilus (7)
2021:
DB Nelson Lokombo (2)
2020: OL Mattland Riley (7)
2019:
WR Justin McInnis (6)
2018: 
OL Dakoda Shepley (5)
2017:
LB Cameron Judge (2)
2016:
OL Josiah St. John (1)
2015:
 WR Nic Demski (6)


Winnipeg Blue Bombers

2022: No first round pick
2021:
OL Liam Dobson (3)
2020:
No first round pick
2019:
OL Drew Desjarlais (4), DE Jonathan Kongbo (5)
2018: 
No first-round pick
2017:
DL Faith Ekakitie (1), OL Geoff Gray (8)
2016:
No first-round pick
2015:
 OL Sukh Chungh (2)


Hamilton Tiger-Cats

2022: No first round pick
2021:
TE Jake Burt (1), LB Nick Cross (9)
2020:
OL Coulter Woodmansey (5), DL Mason Bennett (8)
2019:
OL Jesse Gibbon (2)
2018:
WR Mark Chapman (1), OL Darius Ciraco (6)
2017:
DL Connor McGough (4)
2016:
OL Brandon Revenberg (3)
2015:
 No first-round pick


Montreal Alouettes

2022: LB Tyrell Richards (1), WR Tyson Philpot (9)
2021: No first round pick
2020:
No first round pick
2019: Forfeited first-round pick (Picked OL Tyler Johnstone in 2018 Supplemental Draft)
2018: 
OL Trey Rutherford (2)
2017:
No first-round pick
2016: 
OL Philippe Gagnon (2)
2015:
 LB Chris Ackie (4), OL Jacob Ruby (8)


Ottawa REDBLACKS

2022: OL Zack Pelehos (2)
2021:
LB Deshawn Stevens (6)
2020:
LB Adam Auclair (6)
2019:
OL Alex Fontana (7)
2018: 
OL Mark Korte (4)
2017:
OL Evan Johnson (9)
2016:
OL Jason Lauzon-Seguin (7)
2015:
 OL Alex Mateas (1)


Toronto Argonauts

2022: OL Gregor MacKellar (6)
2021:
OL Peter Nicastro (7)
2020:
WR Dejon Brissett (2), OL Theren Churchill (9)
2019:
OL Shane Richards (1)
2018: 
OL Ryan Hunter (9)
2017:
No first-round pick
2016:
WR Brian Jones (4)
2015:
 OL Sean McEwen (3)

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