Countdown to NFL Draft: Canadians making noise

Twin brothers Chase and Sydney Brown highlight a group positioned to lead the next wave of Canadian talent in the NFL Draft starting on Thursday, April 27.

Last year marked the third consecutive draft that multiple Canadians were selected in – something that only happened in consecutive years (2011,2012) once in draft history.

Wide receiver Chase Claypool, of Abbotsford, B.C., headlined the 2020 draft after being selected in the second round by the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Notre Dame product caught 62 passes for 873 yards and scored 11 touchdowns in his rookie year. Defensive lineman Neville Gallimore, of Ottawa, was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the third round of the same draft.

The 2021 NFL Draft featured safety Jevon Holland of Coquitlam, B.C., defensive back Benjamin St-Juste of Montreal, wide receiver Josh Palmer of Brampton, Ont., and running back Chuba Hubbard of Edmonton all being selected in the first four rounds.     

John Metchie III of Brampton, Ont., and Jesse Luketa, of Ottawa, a wide receiver and a linebacker, respectively, were selected in the 2022 NFL Draft. Metchie III was taken by the Houston Texans in the second round but did not play after a leukemia diagnosis in July.

TSN.ca takes a closer look at the top Canadians heading into the NFL Draft:

Chase Brown, RB, Illinois

Chase Brown Illinois

Chase, of London, Ont., earned the Jon Cornish Trophy recognizing him as the top Canadian in the NCAA last season. He was named All-Big Ten second team after finishing the season with 328 carries for 1,643 yards and 10 touchdowns, as well as three receiving touchdowns.

The running back was the nation's second-leading rusher, and the top rusher in the Power Five conferences in the NCAA.

Chase is expected to be drafted in the later rounds, with most mock drafts placing him later than the third round.

The 5-foot-9, 209-pound workhorse is described as a “between the tackles grinder” and could compete for a three-down backup role in the NFL, though NFL.com's Lance Zierlein notes he has a “limited ceiling” in the NFL.

Sydney Brown, DB, Illinois

Sydney played four seasons at Illinois, and earned first-team All-Big Ten honours in his senior year when he intercepted six passes and recorded seven pass breakups with 59 tackles.

Most mock drafts slot Sydney above his brother due to his straight-line speed and overall value of his position, but he is still projected to be a second- or third-round selection.

Missed tackles at the college level may cause Sydney to drop a few rounds in the draft, as he doesn’t have the speed to succeed in man coverage as a cornerback and will likely play a safety role, says Zierlein.
 

Matt Bergeron, OT, Syracuse

Matthew Bergeron Syracuse

Matt Bergeron, a senior born in Victoriaville, Que., started 39 games in four years for Syracuse. He was the first freshman to start at offensive tackle for Syracuse in almost 20 years.

He was voted second-team all-conference in 2022 and played on both the left and right tackle spots throughout his college career.

Bergeron stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 318 pounds but displays a lot of athleticism for his size. Draft scouts are expecting him to be selected in the second or third rounds on Thursday.

According to Zierlein, he excels in run blocking but may come up short in pass protection at the NFL level.
 

Sidy Sow, G, Eastern Michigan

Sidy Sow Eastern Michigan

Sidy Sow, of Boromont, Que., was rated as the third-best prospect for the CFL draft heading into 2021 but deferred his draft status to 2023.

Sow played in 56 games for Eastern Michigan, where he started at both tackle and guard. He was named first-time All-MAC in 2021.

Despite perceived struggles in diagnosing protection schemes and blocking angles, Sow is projected to be selected late in the draft - in the seventh round, if at all, despite his physical gifts, indicates Zierlein.

Sow is 6-foot-5 and weighs 323 pounds, and ran a 5.07 40-yard dash, which is above average for a guard.

Tavius Robinson, Edge Rusher, Mississippi

Tavius Robinson Ole Miss

Tavius Robinson has all the physical gifts required of an edge rusher in the NFL - the Guelph, Ont., native stands 6-foot-6, weights 257 pounds and recorded a 4.66 40-yard dash time.

Robinson started his collegiate career in Canada at the University of Guelph but joined Ole Miss in 2020 and started five games his first year there. As a starter in 2022, he tied for second in the FBS with five forced fumbles and added seven sacks.

Robinson is still projected as a late selection in the draft, with most mock drafts placing him in the fifth-to-seventh rounds, but his quick rise has some scouts curious.

These five were the only Canadians invited to the NFL combine, and if all five are selected in the draft, it will surpass the previous record of four Canadians selected in the same draft. This happened in 2021, 2014 and 1986.