After selecting eight players in Tuesday night’s C-F-L Canadian Draft, the Saskatchewan Roughriders made two selections in Wednesday’s Global Draft.
Linebacker Mapalo Mwansa is from England while Kansei Matsuzawa is a kicker from Japan. The Riders’ selection of Mwansa was the only one that wasn’t a player from a U-S College. Mwansa is from Loughborough University in England. Matsuzawa attended school at the U of Hawaii. Both are expected at the Green and White’s rookie camp next week here in Saskatoon – along with the eight Canadian College picks, none of whom were from either the University of Saskatchewan or the U of Regina. Five of the eight were from American schools. The full list of Riders’ picks can be found below. The Huskies had two players chosen – Canada West Outstanding Lineman Charlie Parks taken 31st by Ottawa while offensive lineman Jack Warrack was selected by Calgary at 71. Following are news releases from the Roughriders, as well as one from the Canada West Conference…..
DATE: April 29, 2026
RELEASE TIME: IMMEDIATELY
RELEASE: SR26-70
RIDERS SELECT LINEBACKER, KICKER IN 2026 GLOBAL DRAFT
The Saskatchewan Roughriders have selected two talented football players in the 2026 CFL Draft:
- Mapalo Mwansa (Linebacker – Loughborough University) – 1st round, 9th overall
- Kansei Matsuzawa (Kicker – University of Hawaii) – 2nd round, 18th overall
Mwansa (6’2-230) joined the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program after signing with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent. He spent the season on the Panthers practice roster and suited up for three preseason games. The 22-year-old from Peterborough, England, joined the Great Britain National Team in 2024 and played for the Nottingham Caesars of the BAFA National Leagues Northern Premiership, the highest level of British American football. Mwansa helped the Caesars win the 2024 Division 1 National Final at Britbowl XXXVI.
The speedy defender attended the 2025 CFL Combine, completing the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds.
Matsuzawa (6’1-205) spent two collegiate seasons at the University of Hawaii, suiting up for 25 games as a Rainbow Warrior. The native of Ichikawa, Japan, had a sensational senior season in 2025, making 27 of 29 field goal attempts for a 93.1% success rate. He also nailed a career-long 52-yard field goal on September 20 against Fresno State. For his efforts, Matsuzawa was named a Consensus All-American (the first player to do so in program history), the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year, and a First-Team All-Mountain West selection. In addition, he was a 2025 Lou Groza Award finalist (awarded to the best placekicker in the country).
Over his two seasons in Hawaii, he went 39 of 45 on field goal attempts (86.7%). As the team’s kickoff specialist in 2025, he kicked 45 times for 2,780 yards (61.8-yard average) and 15 touchbacks. He signed with the Las Vegas Raiders as an undrafted free agent following the 2026 NFL Draft.
Prior to Hawaii, Matsuzawa spent the 2021–2023 seasons at Hawkings College, where he made 12 of 17 field goal attempts, including one from 50 yards.
DATE: April 28, 2026
RELEASE TIME: IMMEDIATELY
RELEASE: SR26-69
RIDERS SELECT EIGHT TALENTED CANADIANS IN 2026 CFL DRAFT
The Saskatchewan Roughriders have selected eight talented prospects in the 2026 CFL Draft:
- Malcolm Bell (Defensive Back – Michigan State) – 1st round, 9th overall
- Dylan Djete (Wide Receiver – Alabama State) – 2nd round, 18th overall
- Darius Bell (Offensive Lineman – East Carolina) – 3rd round, 29th overall
- Osasere Odemwingie (Linebacker – University of Calgary) – 4th round, 38th overall
- Jez Janvier (Offensive Lineman – Southern Mississippi) – 5th round, 47th overall
- Albert Reese IV (Offensive Lineman – Mississippi State) – 6th round, 56th overall
- Shemar McBean (Wide Receiver – University of British Columbia) – 7th round, 65th overall
- Ryan Speight (Fullback – Wilfrid Laurier University) – 8th round, 74th overall
Bell (6’2-188) played in 12 games, making 11 starts as a senior with Michigan State, earning career highs in tackles (49) and tackles for loss (5). He also posted a team-high six pass breakups and added one sack. The Montreal native lined up for a career-high 717 snaps at cornerback, the most on the team, and was the Spartans’ highest-graded defender, per Pro Football Focus, with a grade of 79.3. He recently accepted an invite to attend rookie minicamp with the Cleveland Browns.
Prior to transferring to Michigan State, Bell played four collegiate seasons (2021–24) at the University of Connecticut, suiting up for 33 games with 20 starts. He registered 94 tackles as a Huskie, including five for a loss, along with 13 pass breakups and one forced fumble.
Djete (6’0-185) spent his senior season (2025) at Alabama State, making 28 catches for 422 yards and four touchdowns over 12 games. He spent the previous three years (2022–2024) at Wofford College, where he caught 56 passes for 772 yards and four touchdowns across 31 games. Djete, who completed the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds at the 2026 CFL Combine, is from Lévis, Quebec.
Bell (6’3-300) played the last two seasons (2024–25) at East Carolina University, suiting up for 21 games and making 19 starts as a Pirate. The versatile lineman made six starts at left guard as a junior before transitioning to centre in his senior year, allowing just three sacks over that time. In 2025, he helped the Pirates’ offence average 449.0 yards of total offence per game (13th nationally), including 176.3 rushing yards per game. He is a two-time Go Bowling Military Bowl champion.
Prior to ECU, he spent three collegiate seasons (2021–23) at Maine, appearing in 18 games and making 16 starts across the line, including five at right guard as a redshirt freshman and nine at left tackle as a sophomore.
Odemwingie (6’0-220) spent his collegiate career at the University of Calgary (2022–2025). He suited up for 31 games at linebacker with the Dinos, registering 253 defensive tackles (171 solo), 15 tackles for loss, and three sacks. In his final Canada West season, he recorded 62 defensive tackles (38 solo), four tackles for loss, and one sack, following a stellar 2024 season in which he made 82 tackles (56 solo), four tackles for loss, and one sack. Odemwingie also competed in the 2025 East-West Bowl, where he had two solo tackles and a pass breakup.
Janvier (6’5-314) played his senior collegiate season at Southern Mississippi, appearing in six games, after spending four years at Eastern Michigan. He dressed for 26 games at Eastern Michigan, playing on both the offensive and defensive lines during that period. After switching to the offensive line in 2024, he appeared in nine games (starting five) without surrendering a sack. The Montreal-born Janvier dressed for 11 games as an offensive lineman in 2022 before suiting up for seven contests on defence the following year.
Reese IV (6’7-330) played five collegiate seasons at Mississippi State (2021–25), appearing in 48 career games and making 22 starts. As a senior, Reese IV played and started all nine games, including seven starts at right tackle, one at left tackle, and one at left guard, allowing just four sacks. His strong play earned him an invite to the 2026 American Bowl All-Star Game. The Edmonton, Alberta native signed with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent following the 2026 NFL Draft.
McBean (5’10-195) played four collegiate seasons at UBC (2022–2025), appearing in 41 games. Over that time, he caught 158 passes for 2,477 yards and scored 13 touchdowns. In his senior season (2025), McBean appeared in nine games, recording 49 receptions for 792 yards and four touchdowns. He competed in the 2025 East-West Bowl, where he had three catches for 142 yards and one touchdown. The Calgary, Alberta native was named a Canada West All-Conference receiver in 2025 and earned All-Conference honours as both a receiver and returner in 2023.
Speight (6-2-227) spent five seasons (2021–25) at Wilfrid Laurier, appearing in 39 games. He caught 13 passes for 169 yards and three touchdowns, including two scores on five receptions in 2024 while helping Wilfrid Laurier reach the Vanier Cup. One of those touchdown catches came against Bishop’s in the Uteck Bowl, a U SPORTS national semifinal. In 2023, the Brampton, Ont.-born Speight, a two-time Academic All-Canadian, recorded six receptions for 68 yards and one touchdown. He dressed for five games during an injury-shortened 2025 season.
FB: 16 Canada West student-athletes selected in 2026 CFL Canadian Draft
Calgary led the way with five selections, while former Manitoba standout Giordano Vaccaro became the first Bison product to be selected first overall
April 29, 2026 – A total of 16 current and former Canada West football student-athletes realized the dream of hearing their names called at the 2026 Canadian Football League Canadian Draft on Tuesday evening.
All six CW programs featured at least one selection. Calgary led the way with five picks off their current roster, followed by UBC with three. Alberta and Saskatchewan had two, while Manitoba and Regina had a single selection each.
In addition to the 14 current players called, a former Canada West standout kicked off the evening by making history at the top of the board.
Former Manitoba offensive lineman Giordano Vaccaro was taken first overall by the Ottawa REDBLACKS, becoming the first Bison product to be selected first overall. Vaccaro delivered three outstanding seasons with Manitoba from 2022-24 before transferring to Purdue University last fall.
He was a sheer force in his time with the Bisons, being named a two-time all-Canadian and the 2024 winner of the J.P. Metras Trophy as the country’s outstanding lineman.
He was the first of three Thunderbird selections, followed by a pair of seventh round picks in linebacker Chase Henning (63rd – BC Lions) and receiver Shemar McBean (65th – Saskatchewan Roughriders).
Alberta receiver Carter Kettyle was the second Canada West player selected, 21st overall by the hometown Edmonton Elks. Kettyle had the best season of his varsity career in 2025 as he led Canada West in yards per reception, finished second in receiving touchdowns, and fifth in yards and yards per game.
Kettyle was joined by teammate Matthew Ljuden (OL), who was also taken by the Elks at 59th overall.
Manitoba receiver Nathan Udoh went 28th to Montreal. The Winnipeg native had the best season of his U SPORTS career in 2025, earning a direct invite to the CFL National Combine after finishing in a tie for fifth in Canada West in receptions (40) and sixth in receiving yards (531).
A flurry of Calgary Dinos were selected in the middle rounds, with Brayden Szeman (OL), Osasere Odemwingie (LB), Matt Sibley (REC), Ben Dobson (LB) and Chris Pashula (OL) all selected in an exciting night for the scarlet and gold. Former Dino Ben Britton was also drafted by Winnipeg.
It’s the 25th consecutive year the Dinos have had at least one player selected in the CFL Draft.
The Saskatchewan Huskies had two selections, beginning with Canada West Outstanding Lineman Charlie Parks (DL) taken 31st by Ottawa. Teammate Jack Warrack (OL) was selected by Calgary at 71.
Offensive lineman Ethan Graham was the lone Regina Rams selection of the evening, picked up by the BC Lions at 54th overall. In 2025, Graham earned Canada West all-star recognition after starting five conference games and both postseason games at left tackle.
In total, 47 U SPORTS standouts were selected on Tuesday, making U SPORTS the largest source of Canadian talent (NCAA FBS: 23, FCS: 5, Division II: 1) for the CFL, including Vaccaro and Devynn Cromwell (Guelph / Michigan State), who played on both sides of the border.
Among U SPORTS conferences, Canada West’s 14 selections were second only to the OUA (23), followed by the RSEQ with six selections and two picks from the AUS. Canada West’s total becomes 16 after including former players Vaccaro and Britton.
All eyes now look forward to the 2026 Canada West football season, with the schedule set to be released later in May.
