Each passing year brings greater anticipation to the NFL Draft, as well as the potential for talent above the northern border. This year was particularly exciting for Canadian talent in the league, with various prominent standouts and free agents coming off of successful college careers. Here is The Varsity’s overview of some of the Canadian players who we can look forward to watching in the coming years. 

Elic Ayomanor: Tennessee’s new offensive weapon 

Much of the Canadian pre-draft buzz surrounded Elic Ayomanor, an athletic wide receiver from Medicine Hat, Alberta, whose 2023 breakout season at Stanford University put him on the NFL’s radar. The Tennessee Titans selected Ayomanor in the fourth round, 136th overall, as a rookie receiver who will surely outplay his draft value this season. Measuring in at six feet two inches and 206 pounds, the former track star clocked in at a 4.44-second 40-yard dash with a 1.58-second ten-yard split at the NFL Combine, faster than expected for someone his size.

Ayomanor spent the last three years of high school at Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts, where he excelled in track and field, as well as football. He had a rocky start to his university career; recovering from a knee injury in his senior year of high school and tearing his ACL in his freshman year of university. 

After redshirting his first year of university due to his injuries, Ayomanor turned heads in 2023 with a breakout season in his second year, having the seventh-most receiving yards and yards per catch in the Pac-12. He stunned the world in his game against Colorado with his 294-yard, three-touchdown performance against coach Deion Sanders, bringing him national attention as one of the most explosive receivers in the league. His performance secured him the 2023 Jon Cornish Trophy, awarded to the top Canadian player in NCAA football. 

Ayomanor joins the Tennessee Titans in a rebuilding year, with their third-year quarterback Will Levis looking to solidify his role as their long-term starter. Hopefully for Ayomanor, his polished route running and contested catch ability can become a go-to option in a passing attack. If all goes well, Ayomanor could emerge in the next few seasons as one of the most productive receivers in the NFL, following in the footsteps of fellow Canadians like Nathaniel Burleson and Chase Claypool. 

Taylor Elgersma: free agent

Some predicted and hoped that this would be the year that a quarterback made the improbable journey of being directly selected out of a Canadian university team. Most eyes turned to Taylor Elgersma, the quarterback from Wilfrid Laurier University who made history earlier this year as the first Canadian-born quarterback invited to the NCAA football’s sought-after Senior Bowl, NCAA football’s primary pre-draft all-star game. 

An extremely warranted pick to the bowl, the 23-year-old showed an impressive senior season with 293 of 397, or 73.8 per cent, passes completed for 4,252 yards and 35 touchdowns. His additional seven rushing touchdowns and 245 rushing yards granted him the 2024 Hec Crighton Trophy for Player of the Year, the Canadian equivalent to the Heisman Trophy. 

While he wasn’t drafted in seven rounds, Elgersma signed a tryout contract with the Green Bay Packers after an impressive showing at rookie minicamp. However, he was ultimately placed on waivers on August 26 after recording 166 passing yards and a touchdown in the Packers’ preseason. While his time in Green Bay has come to an end, Elgersma is seeking other opportunities in the NFL and CFL, and reportedly worked out with the New York Giants on August 28.  

Kurtis Rourke: new Niners’ quarterback 

Another Canadian quarterback made headlines as the San Francisco 49ers selected former Indiana Hoosier and Ohio Bobcat, Kurtis Rourke, in the seventh round at 227th overall. This adds depth to the stacked quarterback room under head coach Kyle Shanahan. 

The Oakville native followed in his older brother, BC Lions’ Nathan Rourke’s footsteps by quarterbacking three seasons for the Ohio University Bobcats. After two consecutive 10-win seasons, he won MAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2022 and transferred to Indiana for his final collegiate season, where he played the entire season with injuries. 

At Indiana, he led the team to its first-ever 10-win season and a playoff berth, an incredibly impressive feat even without injuries. This caught the eye of Shanahan, who said in a media interview posted on the 49ers’ YouTube page, “to know he did it the whole year with a — he had a broken finger, a torn ACL, and still, was really, really impressive.” 

By choosing Rourke, the 49ers add to their studded room led by quarterback Brock Purdy. Similar to Elgersma, their guidance allows Rourke to take on a developmental role within the team, with huge upside potential. Shanahan and San Francisco have a history of turning late-round picks into stars, such as “Mr. Irrelevant” Purdy, who eventually led the team to a Super Bowl appearance. 

With Shanahan’s backing and the stable of offensive weapons surrounding him in San Francisco, Rourke is stepping into one of the best environments a young quarterback could hope for. If developed patiently, he could carve out a long-term role as a reliable backup, but after his performance in university, he has the potential for more.

With a strong class of Canadian rookies entering the NFL, we anticipate that Canadian and American viewers alike can look forward to an exciting upcoming football season this fall.