CHASE BROWN RETAINS TOP SPOT IN WINTER EDITION OF CFL SCOUTING BUREAU
Illinois running back from London, Ontario sits No. 1 ahead of CFL Draft on May 2
TORONTO (January 26, 2023) – University of Illinois running back Chase Brown headlines the Winter Edition of the Canadian Football League (CFL) Scouting Bureau. The London, Ont., native also held the top spot in the Fall Edition of the Bureau that was released last September. He is joined by 19 outstanding collegiate athletes in the ranking of the Top-20 eligible prospects for the 2023 CFL Draft on Tuesday, May 2 beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
The CFL Scouting Bureau, comprising CFL scouts, as well as the player personnel directors and general managers from the league’s nine clubs, releases its ranking three times each year in the fall, winter and spring.
CFL SCOUTING BUREAU: WINTER EDITION
(Rank (Previous) | Name | Position | School | Hometown)
- 1 (1) | Chase Brown | RB | Illinois | London, Ont.
- 2 (3) | Sydney Brown | DB | Illinois | London, Ont.
- 3 (9) | Tavius Robinson | DL | Mississippi | Guelph, Ont.
- 4 (7) | Sidy Sow | OL | Eastern Michigan | Bromont, Que.
- 5 (–) | Matthew Bergeron | OL | Syracuse | Victoriaville, Que.
- 6 (4) | Jared Wayne | WR | Pittsburgh | Peterborough, Ont.
- 7 (2) | Dontae Bull | OL | Fresno State | Victoria
- 8 (6) | Lwal Uguak | DL | TCU | Edmonton
- 9 (10) | Jonathan Sutherland | DB | Penn State | Ottawa
- 10 (20) | Lake Korte-Moore | DL | UBC | Ottawa
- 11 (16) | Harrison Bagayogo | DB | Guelph | Bois-des-Filion, Que.
- 12 (11) | Francis Bemiy | DL | Southern Utah | Montreal
- 13 (–) | Anthony Bennett | DL | Regina | Weston, Fla.
- 14 (13) | Clark Barnes | WR | Guelph | Brampton, Ont.
- 15 (–) | Michael Brodrique | LB | Montreal | Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, Que.
- 16 (–) | James Peter | LB | Ottawa | Ottawa
- 17 (19) | Reece Martin | DL | Mount Allison | Moncton, N.B.
- 18 (18) | Jacob Taylor | LB | Alberta | Beaumont, Alta.
- 19 (–) | Quintin Seguin | DL | Charleston Southern | Windsor, Ont.
- 20 (–) | Phillip Grohovac | OL | Western | Victoria
BY THE NUMBERS
- The Winter Edition of the Scouting Bureau includes:
- Seven defensive linemen
- Four offensive linemen
- Three defensive backs
- Three linebackers
- Two wide receivers
- One running back
- 18 schools are represented in the rankings with two schools featuring multiple players:
- Illinois University (No. 1 Chase Brown and No. 2 Sydney Brown)
- University of Guelph (No. 11 Harrison Bagayogo and No. 14 Clark Barnes)
- 11 prospects play in the NCAA; nine are from U SPORTS
- Six of the nine first round selections in the 2022 CFL Draft appeared in that season’s Scouting Bureau: Winter Edition
TOP-5 PROSPECTS
1 (1) | CHASE BROWN | RB | ILLINOIS | LONDON, ONT.
- 2022 season: 1,643 rushing yards (fourth-most in the NCAA), 13 touchdowns (10 rushing, 3 receiving), 5.0 yards per carry and ten 100+ rushing yard games
- Finalist – Doak Walker Award as the top running back in college football in the U.S.
- Second team selection on all five official All-American teams
- 2022 Jon Cornish Trophy winner
- Accepted invitation to participate in Reese’s Senior Bowl
- Collegiate career: 34 games, 3,206 rushing yards, 446 receiving yards and 21 total touchdowns
2 (3) | SYDNEY BROWN | DB | ILLINOIS | LONDON, ONT.
- 2022 season: 59 tackles (40 solo, 19 assisted), six interceptions (first in the Big Ten; second in the NCAA), seven pass breakups, 3.5 tackles for a loss and one sack
- 2022 USA Today All-American second team, PFF All-American third team, All-Big Ten first team (coaches) and All-Big Ten second team (media)
- Accepted invitation to participate in Reese’s Senior Bowl
- Collegiate career: 51 games, 319 tackles (186 solo, 133 assisted), ten interceptions, ten tackles for a loss and 26 passes defended
3 (9) | TAVIUS ROBINSON | DL | MISSISSIPPI | GUELPH, ONT.
- 2022 season: 13 games started, 44 tackles (17 solo, 27 assisted), seven sacks, five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries
- Accepted invitation to participate in Reese’s Senior Bowl
- Three seasons with Mississippi: 90 tackles (36 solo, 54 assisted), 11.5 sacks and 14 tackles for a loss
- Prior to Mississippi, two seasons at University of Guelph: 65 tackles, 13.5 sacks, 2018 OUA All-Rookie Team and 2019 OUA Second Team All-Star
4 (7) | SIDY SOW | OL | EASTERN MICHIGAN | BROMONT, QUE.
- 2022 season: 13 games started, allowed two sacks in 949 snaps; Eagles finished first in MAC in red zone offense (93.9 per cent) and third down percentage (44.9), and second in team passing efficiency (137.9)
- 2022 and 2021 All-MAC first team and 2020 All-MAC third team
- Accepted invitation to play in the 2023 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl
- Eastern Michigan all-time leader in games played (56) and games started (54)
5 (–) | MATTHEW BERGERON | OL| SYRACUSE | VICTORIAVILLE, QUE.
- 2022 season: team captain, 11 games, allowed four sacks in 686 snaps, penalized three times
- 2022 Second Team All-ACC and AP All-ACC Second Team
- Offensive line allowed teammate RB Sean Tucker to rush for second-straight 1,000-yard season in 2022; first player in program history to record back-to-back seasons with 1,000+ rushing yards and 250+ receiving yards
- Accepted invitation to participate in Reese’s Senior Bowl
- Collegiate career: 39 starts at offensive tackle
Lucas Barrett