MESIDOR STAYS NO. 1 IN CFL SCOUTING BUREAU: WINTER EDITION
Miami D-lineman leads Class of 2026 prospects
TORONTO (January 21, 2026) – University of Miami defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor holds top spot in the Winter edition of the Canadian Football League (CFL) Scouting Bureau, which ranks the Top-20 prospects who are eligible for selection in the 2026 CFL Draft on April 28.
Two players in the rankings began their careers in U SPORTS. Devynn Cromwell (No. 14) played three seasons at the University of Guelph before transferring to Texas Tech and then Michigan State, while Giordano Vaccaro (No. 19) spent three years at the University of Manitoba before continuing his career at Purdue.
The CFL Scouting Bureau, comprising CFL scouts, as well as player personnel directors and general managers from the league’s nine clubs, releases its rankings three times each year, with the cycle beginning in the fall to coincide with the collegiate season, in winter following collegiate regular seasons, and in spring following Combine season.
Previous rankings for the Class of 2026
CFL SCOUTING BUREAU: WINTER EDITION
(Rank (Previous) | Name | POS | School | Hometown)
- 1 (1) | Akheem Mesidor | DL | Miami | Ottawa
- 2 (2) | Logan Taylor | OL | Boston College | Lunenburg, N.S.
- 3 (5) | Albert Reese IV | OL | Mississippi State | Edmonton
- 4 (7) | Rene Konga | DL | Louisville | Ottawa
- 5 (3) | Wesley Bailey | DL | Louisville | Ottawa
- 6 (6) | Jett Elad | DB | Rutgers | Mississauga, Ont.
- 7 (10) | Dariel Djabome | LB | Rutgers | Longueuil, Que.
- 8 (–) | Nuer Gatkuoth | DL | Wake Forest | Edmonton
- 9 (12) | Malcolm Bell | DB | Michigan State | Montreal
- 10 (16) | Rohan Jones | TE | Arkansas | Montreal
- 11 (4) | Nick Cenacle | WR | Hawaii | Montreal
- 12 (13) | Darius Bell | OL | East Carolina | Hamilton, Ont.
- 13 (18) | Darius McKenzie | LB | South Alabama | Ottawa
- 14 (8) | Devynn Cromwell | DB | Michigan State | Toronto
- 15 (–) | Jonathan Denis | OL | Louisiana Tech | Homestead, Fla.
- 16 (19) | Aamarii Notice | DL | Coastal Carolina | Toronto
- 17 (9) | Nolan Ulm | WR | Eastern Washington | Kelowna, B.C.
- 18 (–) | Nate DeMontagnac | WR | North Dakota | Mississauga, Ont.
- 19 (11) | Giordano Vaccaro | OL | Purdue | Winnipeg
- 20 (–) | Émeric Boutin | FB | Laval | L'Assomption, Que.
BY THE NUMBERS
- The winter rankings include:
- Five defensive linemen
- Five offensive linemen
- Three defensive backs
- Three wide receivers
- Two linebackers
- One tight end
- One fullback
- 17 schools are represented in the rankings. Louisville (No. 4 Rene Konga and No. 5 Wesley Bailey), Rutgers (No. 6 Jett Elad and No. 7 Dariel Djabome) and Michigan State (No. 9 Malcolm Bell and No. 14 Devynn Cromwell) feature multiple players.
- Five of the eight first-round selections in the 2025 CFL Draft were listed in the 2024 CFL Scouting Bureau: Winter edition.
TOP-5 NEED TO KNOW
NO. 1 (1) | AKHEEM MESIDOR | DL | MIAMI | OTTAWA
- 2025: 15 games/starts, 60 tackles (36 solo and 24 assisted), 15.5 tackles for a loss, 10.5 sacks and four forced fumbles
- 2025 National Championship: Three tackles (two solo and one assisted) and two sacks
- All-ACC First Team (2025)
- All-ACC Honourable Mention (2022 and 2024)
- All-Big 12 Honourable Mention (2021)
- Played two seasons at West Virginia before three at Miami
- Career: 65 games, including 52 starts, 205 tackles (121 solo and 84 assisted), 50.5 tackles for a loss and 33.5 sacks
NO. 2 (2) | LOGAN TAYLOR | OL | BOSTON COLLEGE | LUNENBURG, N.S.
- 2025: 12 games/starts (eight at right guard, three at left tackle and one at right tackle)
- Team captain (2025)
- All-ACC Second Team (2025)
- All-ACC Honourable Mention (2023-24)
- Played two seasons at Virginia before three at Boston College
- Career: 49 games, including 46 starts
NO. 3 (5) | ALBERT REESE IV | OL | MISSISSIPPI STATE | EDMONTON
- 2025: Nine games/starts
- SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week (2025 Week 2 against Arizona State)
- Kent Hull Trophy as best offensive lineman in Mississippi (2024)
- Career: 49 games, including 22 starts
NO. 4 (7) | RENE KONGA | DL | LOUISVILLE | OTTAWA
- 2025: 12 games, including 11 starts, 29 tackles (13 solo and 16 assisted), five tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks and six pass breakups
- All-ACC Second Team (2025)
- Played three seasons at Rutgers before two at Louisville
- Career: 44 games, 63 tackles, 11 tackles for a loss and five sacks
NO. 5 (3) | WESLEY BAILEY | DL | LOUISVILLE | OTTAWA
- 2025: 12 games/starts, 39 tackles (17 solo and 22 assisted), seven tackles for a loss, six sacks and five quarterback hurries
- Academic All-Big Ten (2024)
- Played four seasons at Rutgers before one at Louisville
- Career: 48 games, including 37 starts, 110 tackles (48 solo and 62 assisted), 21 tackles for a loss and 15.5 sacks