It’s almost draft day.
A day that essentially marks the beginning of a new CFL season. In just over a week, rookie camps will open across the league and 2026 will be underway on the field.
The CFL Canadian Draft is tomorrow, Tuesday, Apr. 28 at 5 p.m. MT.
Fans can watch the first two rounds of the national draft live on TSN and stream exclusive coverage of rounds 3-8 live on TSN+. Fans also have the option to tap into the CFL.ca Draft Tracker here which will update every pick as it happens.
The 2026 edition of the annual Canadian pick ‘em looks vastly different for the Red and White than it did last year. In 2025, the Stamps held possession of the first-overall pick, as well as an additional first-round selection and a total of 10 picks for the entire draft.
It was a slam-dunk draft for the Stampeders, with six out of 10 picks seeing game action in 2025, and nine of 10 picks returning to training camp in 2026, with the exception of first-overall selection Damien Alford. He received an entry-level contract with the NFL’s New Orleans Saints this past winter.
This year, the Stamps currently enter the Draft with seven picks and will make their first selection at sixth overall. The team has been lucky at that spot in the past, selecting standout linebacker Alex Singleton with the sixth pick in the 2016 Draft.
Calgary’s next pick doesn’t come until the third round where the team will have back-to-back selections at 26th and 27th overall.
In the 2024 acquisition of Vernon Adams Jr., the club also received the BC Lions’ third-round pick in 2026 in exchange for Calgary’s 2026 second-round selection.
The team will also miss the fourth round as the pick was dealt to the Ottawa Redblacks last fall in return for veteran defensive lineman and 2022 Most Outstanding Defensive Player Lorenzo Mauldin IV.
The rest of Calgary’s draft board looks like this:
Round 5, Pick 44
Round 6, Pick 53
Round 7, Pick 62
Round 8, Pick 71
Before we reach Tuesday’s draft, let’s take a look at previous picks currently making an impact for the Stampeders.
OL Chris Fortin – 2025
Taken with Calgary’s second pick in the first round last year at eighth overall, Chris Fortin immediately made an impact.
The 26-year-old played 18 games and made 16 starts at centre following a Week 2 injury to veteran lineman Bryce Bell. He was part of an offensive line that helped running back Dedrick Mills win the league rushing title.
The UConn alum was the team’s nominee for Most Outstanding Rookie.
P Mark Vassett – 2025
Selected in the second round (10th overall) in the 2025 CFL Global Draft, Australian punter Mark Vassett filled an important role following the departure of former Stamps punter Cody Grace.
When first-overall selection Fraser Masin was sidelined due to injury in Week 5, Vassett made the most of his opportunity and never looked back.
In 13 games, the former Colorado Buffalo punted 71 times for 3,551 yards for an average of 50.0 yards per kick, a new franchise single-season record. He had seven punts that pinned opponents inside the 10-yard line, three singles and a long of 69 yards.
The 29-year-old was Calgary’s nominee for Most Outstanding Special Teams Player and was voted to the 2025 All-CFL team.
QB Quincy Vaughn – 2025
Vaughn was selected 17th overall with the Stampeders’ second-round pick in the 2025 CFL Canadian Draft and emerged as the team’s short-yardage quarterback.
The 6-foot-4 Brantford, Ont., native recorded 37 carries for 67 yards and six touchdowns in his rookie season and made two receptions for 18 yards and a two-point conversion.
RB Ludovick Choquette – 2025
Ludovick Choquette proved it doesn’t matter what round you’re selected in the draft – you can still make an impact.
Taken in the sixth round at 47th overall, the Long Island alum showed off his shiftiness in the team’s first pre-season game against the BC Lions in Langford when he escaped for a 30-yard touchdown.
His most impressive carry came in Week 19 at Hamilton when evaded defenders on a 44-yard touchdown run.
OL Christy Nkanu – 2024
The Stampeders traded their back-to-back second-round picks to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 2024 draft in order to secure Christy Nkanu with the eighth overall pick.
Two years later, the former Washington State Cougar has played 18 games in back-to-back seasons for Calgary, including 29 straight starts at right guard.
REC Clark Barnes – 2023
The former Guelph Gryphon was selected 24th overall with the Stampeders’ third-round pick in the 2023 draft.
In 2025, Barnes played 14 games and made 14 starts at wide receiver. He had 35 receptions for 601 yards and two touchdowns including a 43-yard major to kick off the scoring in the first-ever Stampede Bowl.
In Week 1 against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the 25-year-old recorded the first 100-yard reception game of his career after hauling in four catches for 112 yards.
Barnes appeared in his first playoff game against the BC Lions in the West Semi-Final and tallied four receptions for 73 yards and one touchdown.
REC Jalen Philpot – 2022
Calgary’s Canadian talent continues with Jalen Philpot, the team’s fifth-overall pick in the 2022 draft.
The former University of Calgary Dino played 16 games and made 16 starts in 2025. He recorded 61 receptions for a career-best 830 yards and three touchdowns as well as 17 carries for 124 yards.
The Delta, B.C. product was named the team’s nominee for Most Outstanding Canadian.
In the Western Semi-Final at BC Place, Philpot had seven catches for 120 yards and one touchdown.
OL Zack Williams – 2019
Calgary’s 28th overall pick in 2019 made 18 starts at left guard for the club last season, raising his total games played up to 81 in his career.
The former Manitoba Bison was a West Division all-star in 2025 and earned the team’s nomination for the league’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman award.
