74 players were selected in the 2026 CFL Draft, all of whom had the same goal: earn a spot on a professional roster.
Seven of the players taken are currently under contract in the NFL, which means they’ve got a long wait before training camps open. Two more players didn’t sign CFL rookie contracts as they’re in the process of recovering from major injuries, delaying their professional careers until 2027.
This leaves 65 players who were drafted, signed with CFL teams, and competed for roster spots in training camp, begging the question: how did they fare on CFL cutdown day?
In all, 30 drafted players made their respective teams, 13 earned practice roster spots, seven were sent back to school, 14 were cut, and one retired before the preseason got underway.
The two lowest-drafted players who made active rosters were both out of Wilfrid Laurier: linebacker Josh Connors and fullback Sebastian Parsalidis. Connors was selected No. 66 by the Ottawa Redblacks, while Parsalidis was picked No. 68 by the Toronto Argonauts.
Last year, zero eighth-round picks made active rosters straight out of training camp, though defensive back King Ambers ended up dressing for nine regular-season games with the Redblacks and making two starts.
The highest-drafted player not to make an active roster was Southeastern Louisiana defensive back Shakespeare Louis. The Ottawa native was picked No. 17 by the Montreal Alouettes and was placed on their practice roster.
The Alouettes also had the highest-drafted player to be sent back to school in receiver Nathan Udoh, who was taken No. 28 out of Manitoba. The top-selected player to be cut was McMaster offensive lineman Frank Vreugdenhil, who was selected by the Argonauts with pick No. 40.
Below is a full list of each team’s selections from the 2026 CFL Draft with a roster designation for each player. Keep in mind that this is merely a snapshot in time — over the coming weeks, players will get promoted to the active roster, demoted to the practice roster, cut, signed, and more. It’s how professional football works.
There are also four players listed below with injury designations, though not all injuries have yet been disclosed. As such, expect at least a few more rookies to start the season on the one or six-game injured lists with their respective teams.
B.C. Lions
1 (7) REC Nate DeMontagnac, North Dakota — made the team
2 (15) DB Jett Elad, Rutgers — made the team
4 (36) DB Pierre Kemeni, Ohio — made the team
5 (45) REC Nick Cenacle,…
2026-06-01 16:30:49
How did the 2026 CFL Draft class fare on cutdown day?
