Leading results from the 2026 CFL Invitational Combine revealed

Top performers shine at 2026 CFL Invitational Combine

The 2026 CFL Invitational Combine was held on Friday at the University of Waterloo’s Feridun Hamdullahpur Field House, bringing together more than 80 underrated prospects from across Canada.

Several of these players could earn invitations to the CFL National Combine later this month once positional drills and one-on-one sessions are completed. While those selections are still to come, unofficial athletic testing results have already highlighted some of the standout performers across the six main events.

Bench Press

Mahdi Hazime, an offensive lineman from New Mexico Highlands, led the bench press with an impressive 38 reps. Thomas Ta’avili (St. Clair Saints), Marcus Tenney (Laurier), and Colin McKellar (Regina) tied for second place with 29 reps, while Anthony Sestanovic of McMaster finished fifth with 27.

Vertical Jump

Tyriq Quayson from Windsor posted the top vertical jump at 35.5 inches. Steven Kpehe (Queen’s), Orin Schellenberg (Alberta), Colby Ginn (Windsor), and Gavin Owen (UBC) tied for second at 35 inches.

Broad Jump

UBC receiver Gavin Owen topped the broad jump with a leap of 10 feet 7 5/8 inches. Windsor’s Tyriq Quayson followed with 10 feet 4 inches. Colby Ginn (Windsor) and Ethan John (Windsor) tied for third at 10 feet 1 1/2 inches, while Orin Schellenberg (Alberta) rounded out the top five.

Forty-Yard Dash

Running back Liam Talbot from Windsor recorded the fastest time at 4.51 seconds. Gianni Green (Guelph) followed closely with 4.52, while Tyriq Quayson (Windsor) and Orin Schellenberg (Alberta) tied for third with 4.54. Thomas Desrosier (Sherbrooke) and Jean-Sebastien Lamothe (Concordia) tied for fifth at 4.56.

Three-Cone Drill

Hamilton McMartin of Texas posted the best time at 6.90 seconds. Zachary Houde (St. FX) finished second at 6.96, with Olivier Ruest (Laval) and Jordan Chizda (Calgary) tied for third at 7.01. Colby Ginn (Windsor) came in fifth at 7.03.

Short Shuttle

Angel Vital from Laval led the short shuttle with a time of 4.13 seconds. Jean-Sebastien Lamothe (Concordia) and Ethan John (Windsor) tied for second at 4.15, followed by Hamilton McMartin (Texas) at 4.16 and Jordan Chizda (Calgary) at 4.19.

Combine takeaways

St. FX receiver Zachary Houde impressed after significantly improving his testing numbers compared to last year while also adding weight. Windsor’s training program also stood out, producing strong performances from several athletes, including Liam Talbot, Colby Ginn, Tyriq Quayson, and Ethan John.

Alberta long snapper Orin Schellenberg also turned heads by posting elite testing numbers despite playing a specialist position, while UBC receiver Gavin Owen showcased exceptional athleticism that could attract attention beyond football.

The CFL National Combine will take place in Edmonton from March 27–29. The 2026 CFL Draft is scheduled for April 28 at 7:00 p.m. EST. 🏈