By The Canadian Press

Miami defensive lineman Mesidor still tops CFL Scouting Bureau draft rankings

Jan 21, 2026 | 8:29 AM

TORONTO — Miami defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor remains the top-ranked prospect for the 2026 CFL draft.

The Ottawa native was ranked No. 1 in the CFL Scouting Bureau’s winter edition Wednesday. The list ranks the top-20 prospects who are eligible for the draft, which will be held April 28.

Mesidor had three tackles (two solo) and two sacks in Miami’s 27-21 loss to top-ranked Indiana in U.S. college football’s championship game Monday night. He had 60 tackles (36 solo, 15.5 for loss), 10.5 sacks and four forced fumbles in 15 games this season in securing All-ACC First Team honours.

The six-foot-three, 280-pound Mesidor has also garnered plenty of attention south of the border and is expected to be taken early in the ’26 NFL draft.

The scouting bureau consists of CFL scouts, player-personnel directors and general managers from the league’s nine team. Its ranking are released three times annually (fall, winter and spring).

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Logan Taylor, of Lunenburg, N.S., remains second overall. The Boston College offensive lineman will join Mesidor at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., later this month in U.S. college football’s premier all-star showcase that attracts some of the top NFL draft prospects.

Edmonton’s Albert Reese, an offensive lineman at Mississippi State, moved up two spots to No. 3. Ottawa native Rene Konga, a defensive lineman at Louisville, improved three spots to stand fourth ahead of teammate Wesley Bailey, also of Ottawa and a defensive lineman at Louisville, who was third in the fall rankings.

Rounding out the top-10, in order, were Rutgers defensive back Jett Elad (Mississauga, Ont.), Rutgers linebacker Dariel Diabome (Montreal), Wake Forest defensive lineman Nuer Gatkuoth (Edmonton), Michigan State defensive back Malcolm Bell (Montreal) and Arkansas tight end Rohan Jones (Montreal).

Laval running back Emeric Boutin, of L’Assomption, Que., was the lone Canadian university player to crack the top-20 after previously being unranked. But Michigan State defensive back Devynn Cromwell (No. 14 from Toronto) and Purdue offensive lineman Giordano Vaccaro (No. 19 from Winnipeg) both began their careers in U Sports at Guelph and Manitoba, respectively, before transferring to their American schools.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 21, 2026.

The Canadian Press