A look at how the 2026 CFL Draft class handled final roster cuts

A total of 74 players were selected in the 2026 CFL Draft, each aiming to secure a place on a professional roster.

Of those, seven draftees are currently under NFL contracts, meaning their CFL journeys will be on hold until at least the start of NFL training camps. Two additional players did not sign CFL rookie deals due to significant injuries, pushing back their professional debuts until 2027. That leaves 65 drafted players who signed with CFL teams and competed in training camp, raising the question of how they performed on cutdown day.

In total, 30 drafted players earned spots on active rosters, 13 landed on practice squads, seven returned to university, 14 were released, and one player retired before the preseason began.

Among the lowest-drafted players to crack active rosters were Wilfrid Laurier products Josh Connors and Sebastian Parsalidis. Connors, a linebacker, was taken 66th overall by the Ottawa Redblacks, while fullback Parsalidis went 68th overall to the Toronto Argonauts.

In contrast, the previous year saw no eighth-round picks make active rosters immediately out of camp, although defensive back King Ambers later went on to appear in nine regular-season games and start twice for Ottawa.

The highest-drafted player who failed to make an active roster was Montreal’s Shakespeare Louis, a defensive back out of Southeastern Louisiana. Drafted 17th overall by the Alouettes, he was instead assigned to their practice roster.

Montreal also featured the highest-drafted player sent back to school, with receiver Nathan Udoh (28th overall, Manitoba) returning to the university level. Meanwhile, the top pick to be outright released was Toronto’s Frank Vreugdenhil, an offensive lineman from McMaster selected 40th overall.

A full breakdown of each team’s 2026 draft class is included below, with current roster status listed for each player. However, this represents only an early snapshot, as roster movement will continue in the coming weeks with promotions, demotions, signings, and cuts still expected.

Additionally, four players are currently carrying injury designations, though not all details have been disclosed. As a result, more rookies are expected to begin the season on the one- or six-game injured lists as teams finalize their squads.