The 2025 CFL Draft is less than a week away.

If you’re around CFL facilities this week or on a conference call with CFL decision makers, the last checks, the last evaluations, and the last mock drafts are being made from all nine teams to prepare themselves for what is ahead on Tuesday.

The teams will have everyone  laid out on draft boards, pushing a player up based on a favourable interview or reference. A player will move down based on any concerns that popped up during the CFL Combine.

2025 CFL Draft
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It’s an intriguing process and no one has yet to master the recipe on how to predict which players are going to make it at the professional level.

While I rarely would draft on need, there are times when teams absolutely have to add depth at certain positions during the draft.

Here are the top three priorities for each team (in my humble opinion).

BC LIONS

OL, REC, DB

With only five Canadian offensive linemen under contract, there is a major priority for the Lions to add at one of the most import ratio positions in the CFL.

With money being spent on other positions, the Lions would love to add a young offensive lineman who could play right away on a rookie contract.

The Lions also need to bolster their receiver depth. They have two top Canadian receivers in Justin McInnis and Jevon Cottoy and to keep that ratio they need quality behind them. They have youth but no guarantees that they’re ready to take a big step forward.

That’s where quantity can pay off.

The third spot I’d look at is defensive back. Yes, the Lions don’t need a long list for their ratio to start the season but I do see room to find more talent to push the veterans that are already in the building!

CALGARY STAMPEDERS

OL, REC, ST

The Stampeders and Lions will be battling over offensive linemen and receivers, though with the Lions concession of draft picks, the benefit landed with the Stampeders.

Calgary can come out of the gate early with two draft picks in the first eight and pick up not only top talent but top needs.

The Stamps aren’t desperate at offensive linemen but with only three National receivers under contract, they need serious help on the depth chart.

While they need to draft best available first overall. They need to fill spots with their eighth overall pick and later.

The third need are [is] athletic defensive players. I don’t care if they’re linebackers, defensive linemen or defensive backs. Calgary needs to bring up young players who could turn into starters but fill holes on special teams first.

EDMONTON ELKS

BEST AVAILABLE

Pick best available. All day.

Vice president of football operations and general manager Ed Hervey’s free agent moves have loaded up the Elks across their National depth chart.

No needs, just talent.

It’s a great spot to be for Edmonton. I’d love to be in Hervey’s draft room because there will be players in the middle rounds who might fall into their lap if other teams are drafting based on need.

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

DL, LB, OL

Priority No. 1 for the Roughriders is along the defensive line and linebacker rotation.

While the Riders might be able to survive with defensive backs, receivers and offensive linemen for their seven Canadian starters, the Riders have room to improve in the front seven of the defence.

They lack experience as starters and if injuries mount elsewhere, they could use the flexibility within these two positions. They’ve done well to draft athletes who play well on special teams but as for ratio breaking starters is where they’ve lacked. Jeremy O’Day should be happy though. These positions are pretty deep for this year’s draft.

Third – and this is a distant third – is offensive line. They have a strong four to fill three National spots but if you’ve noticed Saskatchewan’s luck recently they’ve needed several more National offensive linemen.

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS

OL, REC, LB

With the loss of so many solid players lately the Bombers are left extremely thin at National on the offensive line. They have three picks in the first two rounds and I’ll be shocked if one is not an offensive lineman, if not two.

The Bombers also need depth at National receiver. Another position that is extremely thin of talent and experience behind Nic Demski. And as Demski ages, the odds of injury increase so they need to be sure they are filling the depth chart at their key ratio spots.

When you look around the Bombers there are more needs than places where they feel comfortable. I’m also looking at linebacker for the Bombers if Shayne Gauthier is tasked to start this season at WILL or MLB, there is need to find some next men up to help.

TORONTO ARGONAUTS

DL, DB, REC

Flip a coin for the Argonauts on their top priority. You wouldn’t be wrong with either defensive linemen or defensive back.

Toronto lost some key depth in areas after winning their second Grey Cup in three years this past November. With only two picks in the first three rounds, they don’t have a lot of room to draft based on need until later rounds but with deep talent along defensive line in the early rounds you could see one need knocked off early.

As for the third need for Toronto, I’ll say receiver, though it’s not an immediate need.

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

DL, LB, DB

I’m going heavy on defence for the Tiger-Cats.

The top three are those three positions in order from closest to the line to furthest. 

I’m interested to see what they do with their second overall selection. Will it truly be best available, which they can get away with as their needs are not dire, or will they look to fill a huge need?

As this draft goes, I’m guessing we see far more defensive players drafted by the Tiger-Cats than offensive, though Scott Milanovich will want to get some diamonds for his offence as well.

OTTAWA REDBLACKS

REC, LB, OL

The needs for Ottawa are receiver and linebacker.

With their impressive flexibility for their National starting positions, none of these are dire but they have zero depth at either positions. Those are traditionally great places to find if not starters, a great group of special teams rookies who can build their professional habits on the road to starting spots in the years to come.

Outside of that, the REDBLACKS can add another offensive lineman if only to have another to build up the depth when they rely on having at least four starters during the season up front.

MONTREAL ALOUETTES

DEPTH

The Als are exactly in the same boat as the Edmonton Elks with a completely different reason.

The Elks have depth and starters, the Als have starters but not a lot of depth.

So they’re solid at the top of the depth chart at all their positions but thin behind it.

Here we are for the Alouettes where they can just draft best available to fill out the depth. I’d start along the offensive and defensive lines to be honest and then head to receiver and linebacker afterwards.

But again, they have their starters.