THE CANADIANS TO WATCH IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL IN 2026
Updated: Oct 31
The Canadian wave that just hit the NFL and CFL Drafts isn’t slowing down, it’s reloading.
It started with Akheem Mesidor becoming the highest-drafted Canadian in over a decade after going to the Chargers in the first round. Later in the draft, fellow Canadian Logan Taylor joined him in Los Angeles, while a loaded undrafted free-agent class followed close behind. Rohan Jones signed with the Rams after finishing as PFF’s highest-graded tight end in the FBS, Louisville standout Wesley Bailey landed in L.A. as well, and Rene Konga earned one of the biggest guaranteed deals among Canadian UDFAs after signing with Miami.
The CFL Draft told the same story. Dariel Djabome, Nuer Gatkuoth, Nate DeMontagnac and Jett Elad among others, all turned NCAA careers into pro opportunities north of the border, reinforcing a pipeline that keeps producing legitimate Division I talent across the country.
Now comes the next wave.
Three of the five 2025 Jon Cornish Trophy finalists are gone, opening the door for a new generation. Returning stars, headline transfer-portal additions, and an intriguing freshman class are all positioned to shape the 2026 college football season.
Here are 15 Canadians to watch in college football in 2026.
1. Antwan Raymond — RB, Rutgers (Montreal, QC)
The reigning Jon Cornish Trophy winner and the obvious face of Canadian college football heading into 2026. Raymond ran for 1,241 yards and 15 total touchdowns last season, finished third in the Big Ten in rushing, and earned Doak Walker semifinalist honours along with second-team All-Big Ten recognition. His 41-carry, 240-yard demolition of Maryland tied a Rutgers program record.
He announced his return to Rutgers on the first day of the transfer portal, a major win for Greg Schiano’s offense. The first Quebec native to win the Cornish, Raymond already projects as a legitimate 2028 NFL and CFL Draft prospect.
If anyone on this list becomes the next Canadian to crash the first round of the NFL Draft, Raymond is the favourite.
2. Ty Benefield — S, LSU (Vancouver, BC)
A two-time Cornish finalist who made the splashiest portal move of any Canadian this offseason.
Benefield arrived at LSU as the No. 2-rated safety and No. 33 overall transfer in the country after a dominant season at Boise State that included 107 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, first-team All-Mountain West honours, and Mountain West Championship Game MVP recognition.
Labelled an “ultra-elite” safety by head coach Lane Kiffin, he is expected to step into an immediate starting role in Baton Rouge, putting him on the field at Tiger Stadium every Saturday in the SEC under the eyes of NFL scouts.
3. Antoine Deslauriers — LB, Syracuse (Montreal, QC)
The breakout Canadian defender of 2025.
Deslauriers chose Syracuse over Auburn, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Florida State and Texas A&M, then immediately became one of the Orange’s most important defenders as a true freshman.
He started 11 games, recorded 60 tackles and two forced fumbles, earned ACC Linebacker of the Week honours after a standout performance against Clemson, and finished the year as a True Freshman All-American selection by On3.
With three years of eligibility remaining, Deslauriers may have the highest long-term ceiling of any Canadian defender in college football.
The transfer portal reshaped the outlook for several Canadian veterans this winter. Three of the country’s most productive returning players landed at marquee Power Four programs.
4. Melvin Siani — OT, Texas (Hamilton, ON)
The quiet first-round talent on this list.
Siani allowed zero sacks and just nine pressures across the entire 2025 season at Wake Forest, one of the best pass-protection marks among all FBS tackles with at least 400 pass-blocking snaps.
Now at Texas, he’s expected to protect Arch Manning’s right side in one of the highest-profile offenses in the country. As Manning emerges as one of the faces of college football this season, Siani will be the Canadian protecting him from SEC edge rushers every week.
5. Junior Poyser — DT, Wisconsin (Brampton, ON)
One of the most underrated Canadian players in the NCAA.
Poyser posted one of the highest pressure rates among all FBS defensive tackles at Buffalo in 2025, adding 5.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and third-team All-MAC honours on his way out the door.
Wisconsin needed immediate help on the defensive line, and Poyser arrives in Madison with a real opportunity to become one of the Big Ten's breakout interior defenders.
6. Steve Mboumoua — DT, Alabama (Cameroun / Québec)
Born in Cameroon before moving to Quebec during his childhood, Steve Mboumoua is now continuing his development with one of the most prestigious programs in college football: Alabama.
The powerful defensive tackle represents one of the most intriguing international stories to watch this season as he looks to earn a role on the Crimson Tide defensive line in the ultra-competitive SEC environment.
With his physical upside, football development in Quebec, and the national exposure that comes with playing at Alabama every week, Mboumoua could gradually become another name to watch among Canadian and international talents competing in NCAA football.
7. Brady Blackburn — WR, Harvard (Saskatoon, SK)
A rare Canadian skill-position player already producing at a high level in the NCAA.
Blackburn caught 38 passes for 732 yards and five touchdowns as a freshman, earning second-team All-Ivy League honours. He enters 2026 as one of Harvard’s top offensive weapons and one of the Ivy League’s most productive young receivers.
8. Noah St-Juste — CB, South Dakota State (Montreal, QC)
The younger brother of NFL defensive back Benjamin St-Juste is beginning to build his own profile.
St-Juste emerged as a rotational contributor for South Dakota State in 2025, recording 27 tackles, an interception and a sack while limiting opposing receivers effectively in coverage.
With SDSU losing multiple veteran corners, he enters 2026 positioned for a significantly larger role in one of the top FCS programs in the country.
9. The Luman Twins — DE, Florida Atlantic (Montreal, QC)
Identical twins Tyclean and Tycoolhill Luman remain one of the most unique Canadian stories in college football. The Montreal-born pass rushers transferred together from Rutgers to Florida Atlantic and saw their first college action late in 2025 under head coach Zach Kittley. They enter 2026 with an expanded role to compete for, Tyclean was the higher-rated recruit of the two coming out of Miami Norland, but both project as rotational edge pieces in Kittley's second year.
Twin Canadian defensive ends playing together at the FBS level is rare enough on its own. If both crack the rotation this season, their profile could rise quickly.
Most freshmen on this list may not become weekly contributors immediately, but several arrive at programs where early playing time is realistic.
Tennessee quietly assembled one of the most impressive Canadian recruiting groups in the country, anchoring a 2026 class ranked seventh nationally — Josh Heupel's highest-ranked class since 2015. Three Canadian signees, three different positions, all in the same SEC program.
10. Gabriel Osenda — OT, Tennessee (Airdrie, AB)
The headliner. A 6'7", 330-pound offensive tackle out of Baylor School in Chattanooga who climbed from a three-star prospect at his January commitment to a five-star by signing day. 247Sports ranks him the No. 4 tackle in the country and No. 19 overall, with a player comparison to Aireontae Ersery, a 2025 second-round NFL pick. He picked Tennessee over Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and Ole Miss.
11. Carter Gooden — EDGE, Tennessee (Hamilton, ON)
The Signing Day splash. The 6'4", 260-pound edge rusher out of Tabor Academy (MA) was the 2025 New England Lineman of the Year after posting 14 sacks and 40 tackles for loss as a senior. He flipped from UCLA on Signing Day, citing defensive line coach Rodney Garner and staff stability.
12. Jamyan Theodore — CB, Tennessee (Rigaud ,QC)
The Montreal piece. A 6'0" cornerback also playing at Baylor School, Theodore chose Tennessee over Ole Miss, Wisconsin and Louisville. As a junior he recorded five interceptions (two returned for touchdowns) and 18 pass breakups.
13. Keeyshawn Tabuteau — WR, Wisconsin (Montreal, QC)
Tabuteau exploded for 1,231 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns during his senior season at McCallie School in Tennessee, drawing offers from major programs including Georgia, Miami and Oklahoma. After originally committing to Vanderbilt, he flipped to Wisconsin before Signing Day and joins a receiver room where early opportunities exist. Among the freshmen on this list, Tabuteau may be the most likely to contribute immediately.
14. The Richardson Brothers — Maine (Burlington, ON)
Gavin and Owen Richardson continue the Canadian pipeline at Maine, one of the most quietly Canadian-heavy programs in the NCAA. The Clarkson Football North products arrive with multiple years of eligibility and a realistic path to early playing time at the FCS level.
15. Brendan Farhat — LB, Temple (Ottawa, ON)
Ottawa continues producing defensive talent at an impressive rate, and Farhat appears to be the next name in line. Temple has consistently shown interest in Canadian linebackers, and the depth chart gives him a pathway toward eventual playing time.
16. Tiki Bell — DT, Utah State (Hamilton, ON)
A 6'3", 335-pound freshman with serious football lineage, Bell arrives in Logan as part of Utah State's 2026 signing class after a standout high school career at Episcopal in Alexandria, Virginia. His father Curtis played in the CFL, and his older brother Darius was selected by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the third round of the 2026 CFL Draft after starting at center for East Carolina — football is the family trade. He continues Hamilton's growing reputation as one of Canada's strongest producers of NCAA linemen, and at his size, a rotational role early in his Utah State career is well within reach.
17. Jovan Chase — DT, Harvard (St. Thomas, ON)
An incoming freshman out of Choate Rosemary Hall, Chase arrives at Harvard in 2026 as a 6'4" defensive line prospect with the kind of frame and motor that earned him a commitment to one of the country's most prestigious academic programs. He joins Brady Blackburn as part of a growing Canadian presence in Cambridge. If he carves out early reps in the defensive line rotation, he'll be one to track at the Ivy level.
The Bigger Picture
The wave is real because the pipeline is real.
Ottawa continues producing high-level defensive talent. Quebec remains one of the country’s strongest football hotbeds. Hamilton keeps sending linemen into Division I programs, while Alberta continues developing massive front-seven prospects. Even British Columbia, historically less represented nationally, now features players starting at LSU and Arizona.
If the question is who will actually make noise in 2026, the safest bets are Raymond, Benefield, Deslauriers, Siani, Poyser and Blackburn.
If the bigger question is who becomes the next Canadian first-round NFL Draft pick, three names stand above the rest: Raymond, Siani and Benefield.
The wave that just hit the professional ranks wasn’t an accident. It was the product of a Canadian pipeline that’s deeper, broader and more visible than it has ever been.
And in 2026, the next class is already arriving.
