Riders Select Eight Talented Canadians in 2026 CFL Draft
CFL Saskatchewan Roughriders

Riders Select Eight Talented Canadians in 2026 CFL Draft

Published on April 29, 2026 under Canadian Football League (CFL)
Saskatchewan Roughriders News Release


The Saskatchewan Roughriders have selected eight talented prospects in the 2026 CFL Draft:

Malcolm Bell (Defensive Back - Michigan State) - 1st round, 9th overall

Dylan Djete (Wide Receiver - Alabama State) - 2nd round, 18th overall

Darius Bell (Offensive Lineman - East Carolina) - 3rd round, 29th overall

Osasere Odemwingie (Linebacker - University of Calgary) - 4th round, 38th overall

Jez Janvier (Offensive Lineman - Southern Mississippi) - 5th round, 47th overall

Albert Reese IV (Offensive Lineman - Mississippi State) - 6th round, 56th overall

Shemar McBean (Wide Receiver - University of British Columbia) - 7th round, 65th overall

Ryan Speight (Fullback - Wilfrid Laurier University) - 8th round, 74th overall

Bell (6'2-188) played in 12 games, making 11 starts as a senior with Michigan State, earning career highs in tackles (49) and tackles for loss (5). He also posted a team-high six pass breakups and added one sack. The Montreal native lined up for a career-high 717 snaps at cornerback, the most on the team, and was the Spartans' highest-graded defender, per Pro Football Focus, with a grade of 79.3. He recently accepted an invite to attend rookie minicamp with the Cleveland Browns.

Prior to transferring to Michigan State, Bell played four collegiate seasons (2021-24) at the University of Connecticut, suiting up for 33 games with 20 starts. He registered 94 tackles as a Huskie, including five for a loss, along with 13 pass breakups and one forced fumble.

Djete (6'0-185) spent his senior season (2025) at Alabama State, making 28 catches for 422 yards and four touchdowns over 12 games. He spent the previous three years (2022-2024) at Wofford College, where he caught 56 passes for 772 yards and four touchdowns across 31 games. Djete, who completed the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds at the 2026 CFL Combine, is from Lévis, Quebec.

Bell (6'3-300) played the last two seasons (2024-25) at East Carolina University, suiting up for 21 games and making 19 starts as a Pirate. The versatile lineman made six starts at left guard as a junior before transitioning to centre in his senior year, allowing just three sacks over that time. In 2025, he helped the Pirates' offence average 449.0 yards of total offence per game (13th nationally), including 176.3 rushing yards per game. He is a two-time Go Bowling Military Bowl champion.

Prior to ECU, he spent three collegiate seasons (2021-23) at Maine, appearing in 18 games and making 16 starts across the line, including five at right guard as a redshirt freshman and nine at left tackle as a sophomore.

Odemwingie (6'0-220) spent his collegiate career at the University of Calgary (2022-2025). He suited up for 31 games at linebacker with the Dinos, registering 253 defensive tackles (171 solo), 15 tackles for loss, and three sacks. In his final Canada West season, he recorded 62 defensive tackles (38 solo), four tackles for loss, and one sack, following a stellar 2024 season in which he made 82 tackles (56 solo), four tackles for loss, and one sack. Odemwingie also competed in the 2025 East-West Bowl, where he had two solo tackles and a pass breakup.

Janvier (6'5-314) played his senior collegiate season at Southern Mississippi, appearing in six games, after spending four years at Eastern Michigan. He dressed for 26 games at Eastern Michigan, playing on both the offensive and defensive lines during that period. After switching to the offensive line in 2024, he appeared in nine games (starting five) without surrendering a sack. The Montreal-born Janvier dressed for 11 games as an offensive lineman in 2022 before suiting up for seven contests on defence the following year.

Reese IV (6'7-330) played five collegiate seasons at Mississippi State (2021-25), appearing in 48 career games and making 22 starts. As a senior, Reese IV played and started all nine games, including seven starts at right tackle, one at left tackle, and one at left guard, allowing just four sacks. His strong play earned him an invite to the 2026 American Bowl All-Star Game. The Edmonton, Alberta native signed with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent following the 2026 NFL Draft.

McBean (5'10-195) played four collegiate seasons at UBC (2022-2025), appearing in 41 games. Over that time, he caught 158 passes for 2,477 yards and scored 13 touchdowns. In his senior season (2025), McBean appeared in nine games, recording 49 receptions for 792 yards and four touchdowns. He competed in the 2025 East-West Bowl, where he had three catches for 142 yards and one touchdown. The Calgary, Alberta native was named a Canada West All-Conference receiver in 2025 and earned All-Conference honours as both a receiver and returner in 2023.

Speight (6-2-227) spent five seasons (2021-25) at Wilfrid Laurier, appearing in 39 games. He caught 13 passes for 169 yards and three touchdowns, including two scores on five receptions in 2024 while helping Wilfrid Laurier reach the Vanier Cup. One of those touchdown catches came against Bishop's in the Uteck Bowl, a U SPORTS national semifinal. In 2023, the Brampton, Ont.-born Speight, a two-time Academic All-Canadian, recorded six receptions for 68 yards and one touchdown. He dressed for five games during an injury-shortened 2025 season.

Check out the Saskatchewan Roughriders Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Canadian Football League Stories from April 29, 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.

OurSports Central