Redblacks Take Vaccaro First Overall in 2026 CFL Canadian Draft
Published on April 28, 2026 under Canadian Football League (CFL) News Release
TORONTO - With the first overall selection in the 2026 Canadian Football League (CFL) Canadian Draft, the Ottawa REDBLACKS have selected Winnipeg native Giordano Vaccaro, an offensive lineman from Purdue University.
Exclusive coverage of Rounds 3-8 can be seen on TSN+.
Up-to-date results are available via the CFL Draft Tracker.
Additional information surrounding the Class of 2026 can be found in the CFL Draft Guide (available for download below).
2026 CFL DRAFT - FIRST ROUND
(Team | POS | Name | School | Hometown)
Ottawa | OL | Giordano Vaccaro | Purdue | Winnipeg
Toronto | OL | Niklas Henning | Queen's | Milton, Ont.
Edmonton | LB | Dariel Djabome | Rutgers | Longueuil, Que.
Winnipeg | DL | Nuer Gatkuoth | Wake Forest | Edmonton
Hamilton | OL | Jonathan Denis | Louisiana Tech | Homestead, Fla.
Calgary | LB | Eric Rascoe | Angelo State | San Antonio, Texas
BC | WR | Nathan DeMontagnac | North Dakota | Mississauga, Ont.
Montreal | Rohan Jones | TE | Arkansas | Montreal
Saskatchewan | DB | Malcolm Bell | Michigan State | Montreal
BY THE NUMBERS
Position breakdown
Three offensive linemen
Two linebackers
One defensive lineman
One wide receiver
One tight end
One defensive back
NEED TO KNOW
Vaccaro is the fourth offensive lineman to go first overall in the past 11 Drafts. The most recent was in 2023, when Dontae Bull was also selected by Ottawa.
Henning is the highest prospect to be selected out of Queen's since Shomari Williams was drafted 1st overall by Saskatchewan in 2010.
Djabome is the second-ever prospect drafted out of Rutgers, joining DB Jason Nugent (2006).
Gatkuoth is the fifth-ever prospect to be drafted from Wake Forest and he is the first since Toronto took Mark Moroz in 2004
In CFL Canadian Draft history, only two players from Louisiana Tech have been selected, with both coming in the first round - Jonathan Denis this year and Samuel Emilus in 2022.
Rascoe is the first linebacker taken by Calgary in the first round in 2021 - Amen Ogbongbemiga
DeMontagnac becomes the first wide receiver to be drafted by BC in the first round since Danny Vandervoort in 2017.
Jones is the first-ever prospect selected out of the University of Arkansas
Bell is the second-ever first-rounder to be selected out of Michigan State, joining Mike Gyetvai in 2007 (Calgary)
Canadian Football League Stories from April 28, 2026
- Stamps Scoop up Seven in 2026 CFL Canadian Draft - Calgary Stampeders
- Argos Add Eleven Canadians to Roster During 2026 CFL Draft - Toronto Argonauts
- Blue Bombers 2026 CFL Canadian Draft Summary - Winnipeg Blue Bombers
- Breaking Down the 2026 Class: Lions Select Seven Prospects in CFL Canadian Draft - B.C. Lions
- Redblacks Take Vaccaro First Overall in 2026 CFL Canadian Draft - CFL
- Alouettes Select Montrealer Rohan Jones with Their First Pick - Montreal Alouettes
- Riders Select Defensive Back Malcolm Bell 9th Overall in the CFL Draft - Saskatchewan Roughriders
- Stampeders Select Rascoe Sixth Overall - Calgary Stampeders
- RedBlacks Select OL Vaccaro with 1st Overall Pick in 2026 CFL Canadian Draft - Ottawa RedBlacks
- Tiger-Cats Set for New Era as CFL Introduces Summer-Focused Schedule and Expanded Playoffs in 2027 - Hamilton Tiger-Cats
- Coming in '27: a CFL Season Built for Summer Long Weekends; CFL and CFLpa Champion a New Era of Playoff Football - CFL
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