25 PLAYERS SELECTED IN FIRST-EVER LFA CANADIAN DRAFT

Canadians set to play in Mexico’s premier professional football league in 2020

TORONTO (November 1, 2019) – Twenty-five players from across the nation have been selected in the first-ever LFA Canadian Draft. These players will now have the opportunity to hone their skills and continue their development against Mexico’s best while competing in the country’s premier professional league. The Draft is the latest step in the continuing partnership between the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA).

The eight LFA teams will hold reserved roster spots for Canadians in the upcoming 2020 season. The player pool was comprised of the top Canadian CFL free agents who had previously indicated a desire to play in Mexico.

With the historic first overall selection, the Saltillo Dinos selected offensive lineman Ben Koczwara from London, Ont. The former Waterloo Warrior was previously selected in the eighth round of the 2018 CFL Draft by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Rounding out the Top-5 picks were offensive lineman Jacob Czaja, defensive back Jeremy Fagnan, quarterback Graham Kelly and defensive back Nick Parisotto.

Of the 25 selected-players, seven were former CFL picks, including wide receiver Alex Morrison who was drafted in the fourth round at No. 29 by Montreal in 2017, defensive back Elroy Douglas who was a 2016 fifth-round pick by Hamilton and 2017 Winnipeg sixth-rounder Ian Marouf.

As the CFL continues to deepen its international footprint and introduce new pathways for Canadians to play, it has also partnered with the leading gridiron football federations and leagues in Austria, Great Britain, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway and Sweden, and is in discussions with others.

In much the same way, the 2019 season saw the CFL feature designated ‘global players’ from countries outside the U.S. and Canada on each of its nine member clubs – a first for the league. Next season, the number of global players per team will grow from up-to-three to as many as five.

2019 LFA CANADIAN DRAFT RESULTS

Pick

Team

Name

Pos

School

1

Saltillo Dinos

Ben Koczwara

OL

Waterloo

2

Monterrey Fundidores

Jacob Czaja

OL

St. Francis Xavier

3

Querétaro Pioneros

Jeremy Fagnan

DB

St. Francis Xavier

4

Naucalpan Raptors

Graham Kelly

QB

Mount Allison

5

Mexico City Condors

Nick Parisotto

DB

Guelph

6

Mexico City Mexicas

Alex Morrison

WR

UBC

7

Toluca Osos

Ian Marouf

DL

Guelph

8

Saltillo Dinos

Bryce Vieira

RB

Ottawa

9

Puebla City Artilleros

Zacary Alexis

DB

Montreal

10

Monterrey Fundidores

Elijah Watson

OL

Carleton

11

Querétaro Pioneros

Drew Morris

LB

Acadia

12

Naucalpan Raptors

Zeph Fraser 

WR

Guelph

13

Mexico City Condors

Dallas Boath

WR

Calgary

14

Mexico City Mexicas

Lautaro Frecha

DB

Waterloo

15

Toluca Osos

Mandella Loggale

DB

Saint Mary’s

16

Saltillo Dinos

Jordan Ngantsi

DB

Bishop’s

17

Puebla City Artilleros

Elroy Douglas

DB

Missouri Western St.

18

Naucalpan Raptors

Brad Friesen

LB

UBC

19

Mexico City Condors

Brendon Thera-Plamondon

WR

Calgary

20

Mexico City Mexicas

Archelaus Jack

WR

Saint Mary’s

21

Saltillo Dinos

Jimmie Cunningham

DL

St. Francis Xavier

22

Monterrey Fundidores

Brad Mikoluff

K/P

Manitoba

23

Mexico City Condors

Shaun Robinson

DE/LB

Mount Allison

24

Mexico City Mexicas

Dylan Schrot

WR

Manitoba

25

Saltillo Dinos

David Steeves

LB

Trinity Bible College

Lucas Barrett

Manager, Communications & Public Affairs, Canadian Football League

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