Mesidor Takes Hold of Top Spot in CFL Scouting Bureau: Fall Edition
Published on August 20, 2025 under Canadian Football League (CFL) News Release
TORONTO - University of Miami defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor sits atop the Fall edition of the Canadian Football League (CFL) Scouting Bureau. The Ottawa native leads the ranking of the top-20 prospects eligible for selection in the 2026 CFL Draft.
Two players in the rankings began their careers in U SPORTS. Devynn Cromwell (No. 8) played three seasons at the University of Guelph before transferring to Texas Tech and then Michigan State, while Giordano Vaccaro (No. 11) spent three years developing 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: in the fall, winter and spring.
CFL SCOUTING BUREAU: FALL EDITION
Rank | Name | POS | School | Hometown
1 | Akheem Mesidor | DL | Miami | Ottawa
2 | Logan Taylor | OL | Boston College | Lunenburg, N.S.
3 | Wesley Bailey | DL | Louisville | Ottawa
4 | Nick Cenacle | WR | Hawaii | Montreal
5 | Albert Reese IV | OL | Mississippi State | Edmonton
6 | Jett Elad | DB | Rutgers | Mississauga, Ont.
7 | Rene Konga | DL | Louisville | Ottawa
8 | Devynn Cromwell | DB | Michigan State | Toronto
9 | Nolan Ulm | WR | Eastern Washington | Kelowna, B.C.
10 | Dariel Djabome | LB | Rutgers | Longueuil, Que.
11 | Giordano Vaccaro | OL | Purdue | Winnipeg
12 | Malcolm Bell | DB | Michigan State | Montreal
13 | Darius Bell | OL | East Carolina | Hamilton, Ont.
14 | Jez Janvier | OL | Southern Mississippi | Montreal
15 | Josh Baka | DB | Alabama Birmingham | Ottawa
16 | Rohan Jones | TE | Arkansas | Montreal
17 | Tyrell Lawrence | OL | Alabama A&M | Milton, Ont.
18 | Darius McKenzie | LB | South Alabama | Ottawa
19 | Aamarii Notice | DL | Coastal Carolina | Toronto
20 | Trae Tomlinson | DB | Louisiana | Winnipeg
BY THE NUMBERS
The fall rankings include:
Six offensive linemen
Five defensive backs
Four defensive linemen
Two wide receivers
Two linebackers
One tight end
17 schools are represented in the rankings. Louisville (No. 3 Wesley Bailey and No. 7 Rene Konga), Rutgers (No. 6 Jett Elad and No. 10 Dariel Djabome) and Michigan State (No. 8 Devynn Cromwell and No. 12 Malcolm Bell) feature multiple players.
Four of the eight first-round selections in the 2025 CFL Draft were listed in the 2024 CFL Scouting Bureau: Fall edition.
TOP-5 NEED TO KNOW
NO. 1 | AKHEEM MESIDOR | DL | MIAMI | OTTAWA
2024: 13 games/starts, 32 tackles (17 solo and 15 assisted), nine tackles for a loss, 5.5 sacks and one forced fumble
All-ACC Honourable Mention (2022 and 2024)
All-Big 12 Honourable Mention (2021)
Shrine Bowl 1,000 List
Played two seasons at West Virginia before transferring to Miami
Career: 50 games, 37 starts, 145 tackles (85 solo and 60 assisted), 35 tackles for a loss, 23 sacks
NO. 2 | LOGAN TAYLOR | OL | BOSTON COLLEGE | LUNENBURG, N.S.
2024: 12 games, 11 starts (10 at left guard and one at left tackle), 364 dropback snaps, no sacks allowed, five games with a PFF pass block grade of over 80.0
All-ACC Honourable Mention (2023-24)
Shrine Bowl 1,000 List
Entering third season at Boston College following two at Virginia
Career: 37 games with 34 starts
NO. 3 | WESLEY BAILEY | DL | LOUISVILLE | OTTAWA
Entering first season at Louisville after playing four at Rutgers
Academic All-Big Ten (2024)
Shrine Bowl 1,000
Career: 36 games, 25 starts, 71 tackles (31 solo and 40 assisted), 14 tackles for a loss, 9.5 sacks and five passes deflected.
NO. 4 | NICK CENACLE | WR | HAWAII | MONTREAL
2024: 12 games, nine starts, led team in receptions (63), receiving yards (721) and touchdown receptions (six)
Academic All-Mountain West (2022)
Career: 36 games, 94 receptions, 1,072 receiving yards, 11.4 yards per catch and seven touchdowns
NO. 5 | ALBERT REESE IV | OL | MISSISSIPPI STATE | EDMONTON
2024: 12 games/starts (10 at right tackle and two at right guard) and 853 total snaps
Kent Hull Trophy as the best offensive lineman in Mississippi
Shrine Bowl 1,000 List
Career: 40 games with 13 starts
Canadian Football League Stories from August 20, 2025
- Week 12 in the CFL - CFL
- Als Face Blue Bombers at Home Thursday - Montreal Alouettes
- Mesidor Takes Hold of Top Spot in CFL Scouting Bureau: Fall Edition - CFL
- Roughriders sign National Kicker Campbell Fair - Saskatchewan Roughriders
- Stamps and Riders Square off at McMahon - Calgary Stampeders
- Kornelson Released - Winnipeg Blue Bombers
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