Breaking Down the 2026 Class: Lions Select Seven Prospects in CFL Canadian Draft
CFL B.C. Lions

Breaking Down the 2026 Class: Lions Select Seven Prospects in CFL Canadian Draft

Published on April 28, 2026 under Canadian Football League (CFL)
B.C. Lions News Release


(Vancouver) - The BC Lions selected seven Nationals in Tuesday's CFL Canadian Draft, loading up on skill positions in the early rounds while also addressing the line of scrimmage.

Full pick rundown:

Round 1, 7th overall: WR Nate DeMontagnac, North Dakota (6'3, 195 lbs).

Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario.

Suited up in 40 games with the Fighting Hawks from 2022-25, making 64 receptions for 775 yards and four touchdowns across 40 games.

As a junior, he averaged 12.53 yards per catch and scored his first career major against Indiana State.

Last name pronounced: Duh-MON-Ta-Nack.

Round 2, 15th overall: DB Jett Elad, Rutgers (6'0, 205 lbs).

Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario.

A 2025 finalist for the Cornish Trophy as top Canadian in the NCAA, Elad played his senior year at Rutgers and made 80 total tackles (50 solo, 30 assisted), two interceptions, three pass knockdowns, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He also earned an All-Big Ten honourable mention.

In 27 games at UNLV from 2023-24, Elad racked up 141 total tackles (90 solo, 51 assisted), one interception and 13 pass knockdowns.

Round 4, 36th overall: DB Pierre Kemeni, Ohio (6'1, 214 lbs).

Hometown: Milton, Ontario.

Suited up in 24 games across two stints with the Ohio Bobcats (2020-21, 2025), primarily on special teams, where he made five total tackles as a senior. In between, he suited up at Texas State, Garden City Community College and New Mexico. Kemeni is the cousin of Jett Elad.

Round 5, 45th overall: WR Nick Cenacle, Hawaii (6'2,199 lbs).

Hometown: Montreal, Quebec.

In 44 games over four seasons with the Rainbow Warriors, Cenacle caught 122 passes for 1,295 yards and nine touchdowns. Cenacle was the hero in their 2025 Hawaii Bowl win over California, making a 22-yard winning touchdown grab with ten seconds remaining.

Round 6, 54th overall: OL Ethan Graham, Regina (6'7, 315 lbs).

Hometown: Regina, Saskatchewan.

Played in 32 games with the Rams, emerging as a starter at left tackle in his third season. Graham earned a Canada West All-Star nod in 2025 and caught a touchdown pass against Manitoba in the 2023 season, becoming just the second Rams offensive lineman in history with a reception.

Round 7, 63rd overall: LB Chase Henning, UBC (6'2, 215 lbs).

Hometown: Salmon Arm, British Columbia.

In 28 games with the Thunderbirds from 2023-25, Henning made 101 total tackles (39 solo, 62 assisted), 3.5 tackles for a loss, one sack and one forced fumble. Henning suited up in the 2023 Vanier Cup against Montreal.

Round 8, 72nd overall: DL Ebenezer Dibula, Kennesaw State (6'3, 300 lbs).

Hometown: Ottawa, Ontario.

Dibula played his senior season at Kennesaw State, recording six combined tackles and one pass knockdown across six games. In nine games at Bethune-Cookman as a junior in 2024, Dibula made 35 total tackles and one sack.

The Lions also announced the additions of two territorial junior players to the training camp roster:

OL Kaiden Kerntopf, Okanagan Sun (6'4, 325 lbs)- the two-time CJFL All-Canadian and BCFC All-Star recently showed well at the Lions' local junior tryout in Langley. The Kelowna native helped the Sun to a perfect 10-0 record last season before an appearance in the Canadian Bowl against Saskatoon.

WR Colton Meikle, Kamloops Broncos (6'4, 325 lbs)- will attend his third consecutive Lions training camp in his hometown after a 2025 campaign that saw him catch 12 passes for 98 yards and a touchdown across four games.

The Lions hold two selections in Wednesday's Global Draft for the top prospects outside North America:

Round 1, 7th overall

Round 2, 16th overall

Follow all of the activity at our Draft Central page HERE.

BC Lions Training Camp presented by Sun Peaks Resort and City of Kamloops begins on Wednesday, May 6 when first-year Lions and quarterbacks report for mini-camp at Hillside Stadium.

Veterans report to Kamloops on Saturday, May 10 with the first full practice on Sunday, May 11. The full schedule will be unveiled later this week.

Check out the B.C. Lions Statistics

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Canadian Football League Stories from April 28, 2026


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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