Rourke Maintains Hold of Top Spot in Winter Edition of CFL Scouting Bureau
January 22, 2025 - Canadian Football League (CFL) News Release
TORONTO - Indiana University quarterback Kurtis Rourke holds the No. 1 ranking in the Winter edition of the Canadian Football League (CFL) Scouting Bureau. The Oakville, Ont., native leads all prospects eligible to be selected in the upcoming CFL Draft.
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.
Six players from the Fall edition published in August 2024 - No. 2 Damien Alford (WR), No. 6 Nolan Ulm (WR), No. 7 Akheem Mesidor (DL), No. 9 Wesley Bailey (DL), No. 11 Jett Elad (DB) and No. 12 Rene Konga (DL) - have reclassified to 2026, while No. 4 Eric Schon (OL) has retired.
CFL SCOUTING BUREAU: WINTER EDITION
(Rank (Previous) | Name | POS | School | Hometown)
1 (1) | Kurtis Rourke | QB | Indiana | Oakville, Ont.
2 (3) | Paris Shand | DL | Louisiana State | Toronto
3 (-) | Elic Ayomanor | WR | Stanford | Medicine Hat, Alta.
4 (8) | Isaiah Bagnah | DL | BYU | Lethbridge, Alta.
5 (10) | Keelan White | WR | Montana | North Vancouver, B.C.
6 (20) | Jaylen Smith | LB | North Texas | Hamilton, Ont.
7 (14) | Jeremiah Ojo | DL | Montreal | Montreal
8 (5) | Jackson Findlay | DB | Western | North Vancouver, B.C.
9 (-) | Hayden Harris | DL | Montana | Mill Creek, Wash.
10 (17) | Erik Andersen | OL | Western | London, Ont.
11 (-) | Christopher Fortin | OL | Connecticut | Saint-René, Que.
12 (-) | Ali Saad | DL | Bowling Green | Windsor, Ont.
13 (19) | Darien Newell | DL | Queen's | Brampton, Ont.
14 (16) | Nate Martey | DL | Arkansas State | Ottawa
15 (15) | Devin Veresuk | LB | Windsor | Windsor, Ont.
16 (-) | Ethan Jordan | WR | Wilfrid Laurier | Chatham, Ont.
17 (-) | Samuel Carson | OL | Louisiana at Monroe | Calgary
18 (-) | Isaiah Knight | RB | UBC | Ottawa
19 (-) | Nate Beauchemin | DB | Calgary | Kelowna, B.C.
20 (-) | Taylor Elgersma | QB | Wilfrid Laurier | London, Ont.
BY THE NUMBERS
The Winter rankings include:
Seven defensive linemen
Three wide receivers
Three offensive linemen
Two quarterbacks
Two defensive backs
Two linebackers
One running back
17 schools are represented with Montana (No. 6 Keelan White and No. 10 Hayden Harris), Western (No. 9 Jackson Findlay and No. 11 Erik Andersen) and Wilfrid Laurier (No. 16 Ethan Jordan and No. 20 Taylor Elgersma) featuring multiple players.
11 prospects are from the NCAA; nine are from U SPORTS
Six of the nine first-round selections in the 2024 CFL Draft were ranked in the 2023-24 season CFL Scouting Bureau: Winter Edition
TOP-5 NEED TO KNOW
NO. 1 | KURTIS ROURKE | QB | INDIANA | OAKVILLE, ONT.
In 2024, set Indiana's single-season passing touchdown record (29) and led team to College Football Playoffs, 3,042 passing yards - fifth most in school history
Ninth in Heisman Trophy voting
2024 Jon Cornish Trophy; Second-team All-Big Ten; semifinalist for Maxwell Award, Walter Award and Davey O'Brien Award
In 2022, MAC Most Valuable Player, MAC Offensive Player of the Year, First-team All-MAC
Collegiate career (four seasons with Ohio; one with Indiana): 36 games, 33 starts, passed for 10,693 yards and 79 touchdowns, and 13 rushing majors
NO. 2 | PARIS SHAND | DL | LOUISIANA STATE | TORONTO
In 2024, 13 games, nine starts, 24 tackles (eight solo and 16 assisted), four tackles for a loss and two sacks
Collegiate career (three seasons with Arizona; two with LSU): 50 games, 19 starts, 83 tackles (37 solo and 46 assisted), 14.5 tackles for a loss and nine sacks
NO. 3 | ELIC AYOMANOR | WR | STANFORD | MEDICINE HAT, ALTA.
In 2024, 12 starts, 63 receptions for 831 yards and six touchdowns
2024 All-ACC Second Team and 2023 All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention
Collegiate career (two seasons with Stanford): 24 games, 125 receptions for 1,844 yards and 12 touchdowns
NO. 4 | ISAIAH BAGNAH | DL | BYU | LETHBRIDGE, ALTA.
In 2024, 13 games, seven starts, 25 tackles (12 solo and 13 assisted), two tackles for a loss and one sack
Collegiate career (four with Boise State; two with BYU): 50 games, 110 tackles (56 solo and 54 assisted), 16 tackles for a loss and 12 sacks
NO. 5 | KEELAN WHITE | WR | MONTANA | NORTH VANCOUVER, B.C.
In 2024, 13 games, led team in receptions (57), reception yards (628) and touchdown receptions (four)
2024 Jon Cornish Trophy Honourable mention
Collegiate career: 57 games, 161 receptions, 1,862 receiving yards and 14 touchdown receptions
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