Offtackle
Football news for every down
The CFL National Combine Opens Tomorrow in Edmonton — Veilleux Headlines a 70-Player Field Going Into the Padded Practices
Three days at the Commonwealth Fieldhouse. Christian Veilleux is the quarterback with NFL combine experience who could leave Edmonton as the top pick at the position. The draft is April 28.
Thursday, March 26, 2026
The 2026 CFL National Combine opens Friday at the Commonwealth Fieldhouse in Edmonton, Alberta, running through Sunday, March 29 — with 70 invited prospects preparing to begin three days of athletic testing and full-team practice evaluations in front of scouts from all nine CFL franchises.
Friday's schedule includes 40-yard dash timing, three-cone shuttle, short shuttle, and vertical and broad jump testing alongside bench press evaluation. Saturday and Sunday shift to padded practice days, which provide the position-specific evaluation that CFL scouts consider the most reliable indicator of professional projection.
The most closely watched player in Edmonton is quarterback Christian Veilleux of Georgia State, who attended the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis in February and has drawn significant interest from multiple CFL organizations as a potential developmental starter. Veilleux's profile — a quarterback with power conference experience, a live arm, and the combine measurables that CFL franchises prioritize at the position — makes him the realistic top quarterback selection in April's CFL Draft.
Eight additional prospects advanced to Edmonton from the CFL Invitational Combine held March 6 in Waterloo, Ontario: running back Liam Talbot and wide receiver Tyriq Quayson from Windsor, defensive back Ethan John from Windsor, wide receiver Matt Sibley from Calgary, offensive linemen Victor Olaniran from Manitoba and Chris Pashula from Calgary, defensive back Gianni Green from Guelph, and defensive lineman Steven Kpehe from Queen's. The University of Windsor program, which sent three of the eight promoted prospects, has established itself as one of the most productive U Sports pipelines to the professional evaluation process in recent years.
The 2026 CFL Draft is scheduled for April 28 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. All nine franchises have confirmed attendance in Edmonton for this weekend's evaluation.
Sources: "CFL National Combine begins in Edmonton," 3DownNation | "Christian Veilleux headlines 70 invitees," 3DownNation | "2026 CFL Combine preview," TSN
Offtackle Staff Writers