Winnipeg Blue Bombers select nine players in CFL Draft

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers made the biggest splash at the 2025 CFL Draft. And they built the drama by waiting until their third pick to do it.

With the 18th pick, the Bombers drafted quarterback Taylor Elgersma from Wilfred Laurier. Elgersma (6-foot-5, 235 lbs) won the Hec Crighton Trophy in 2024 as the top player in U Sports football. He led Laurier to the Vanier Cup game, throwing for more than 10,000 yards and 78 touchdowns over his career.

Elgersma was just the second U Sports player ever to be invited to play in the East-West game (usually reserved for NCAA players).

The Bombers don’t have an immediate need at quarterback with Zach Collaros under contract for 2025. And they may have to wait on Elgersma. According to the Bombers, Elgersma has rookie camp invites from the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills.

The Bombers first two picks were both linebackers—an area where the roster needed some replenishing.

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With their first-round pick (#6 overall) the Bombers selected linebacker Connor Shay. Standing 6-foot-2, 232 pounds, Shay played his college career at Wyoming, becoming a starter in his final year. He finished the 2024 season with 76 tackles. Shay played a significant amount of special teams as well—something the Bombers are fond of seeing.

He has a rookie mini-camp invite from the New York Jets, so the Bombers may have to wait for his arrival.

With their 2nd-round pick (#15 overall) the Bombers added Jaylen Smith from North Texas. At 5-foot-11, 230 pounds, the Hamilton native piled up 106 tackles in his final season of NCAA football.

TSN CFL analyst Paul LaPolice described Smith as an exemplary practice player—another quality the Bombers are fond of.

When they get to Winnipeg, Shay and Smith will join Shayne Gauthier and Tanner Cadwallader as Canadians in the linebacking corps.

In round three, the Bombers added South Dakota State offensive lineman Ethan Vibert (6-foot-4, 310 lbs). The Regina native spent six years with the Jackrabbits in the interior offensive line, playing in 14 games.

Holding two picks in round five thanks to a trade earlier Tuesday, the Bombers selected wide receiver Joey Corcoran from New Hampshire and linebacker Lane Novak from Saskatchewan. Corcoran, 6-foot-1, 208 lbs, had 39 catches for 459 yards and four touchdowns in his senior season. Novak tallied 31 tackles for the Huskies in 2024.

In round six, the Bombers selected defensive back Ethan Ball from Regina. Ball (6 feet, 190 lbs) started his college career at North Dakota before transferring to the University of Calgary for last season. He had 27 tackles and 2 passes defensed for the Dinos.

Round seven saw the Bombers take defensive lineman Trey Laing from Eastern Michigan. Laing, 6-foot-3, 243 pounds, was a late entrant to the draft. His father, Trace, is from Mississauga, Ontario and played briefly in the CFL.

The Bombers final pick, in Round 8, was offensive lineman Iwinosa Uwubanmwen (6-foot-4, 290 lbs) from the University of Alberta. Uwubanmwen has two years of U Sports eligibility remaining.

Players drafted Tuesday don’t have much time to celebrate as the Bombers open their rookie camp May 7.