3 MAJOR Surprises From the 2025 CFL Draft!

 Draft season was AMAZING. The combine was a great event that brought us back to CFL football, followed by endless speculation of where the pieces we saw battle for spots on a roster would end up after the draft. Fortunately, we now have those answers. However, there were still some unpredictable moves that made me and other CFL fans scratch our heads. Here's 3 surprises from the 2025 CFL Draft.

OSHINUBI GOES UNDRAFTED

Yes, speed isn't everything. But you have to think the guy who recorded the fastest 40 yard dash time at the draft would catch someone's eye. That was not the case, as Ope Oshinubi, from the University of Alberta, went undrafted. Personally, I thought that Oshinubi would have impressed some scouts enough to get on a roster. He even finished 5th on the bench press. His on-field performance may not have been as good as scouts were hoping for, which is why he fell out of the Draft.

NEWELL DRAFTED HIGH DESPITE TESTING POSITIVE

Darien Newell, a defensive lineman from Queen's, was a very highly touted player coming into the draft. He tested positive for nine banned substances during a drug test which makes him ineligible to sign a contract in the CFL for the next year. He tested well at the Combine, but I thought for sure that not being able to sign a contract for a full year after the draft as well as testing positive for banned substances would drop him down the draft board. This was not the case, and Edmonton took him 10th overall. We will hopefully see him on the field in 2026, but this pick seems like it was a little early, considering every team knew that Newell tested positive for those banned substances.

CHOQUETTE SLIDES TO 47th

Ludovick Choquette impressed me a lot at the combine. His speed, strength and running ability were some of the best in the draft. Running backs just weren't as needed during this draft as they have been in past years, and this was a very offensive/defensive line centered draft. Choquette is very good, but he plays a position where almost every team has a star player. Choquette was one of my favourite players at the Combine and I think he could have gone much higher.

By Bruce Chimirri-Olson