Top Canadian NFL Prospects Ahead of the NFL 2022 Season

When we think of Canada and sports, the usual candidates such as ice hockey and lacrosse spring to mind and sometimes, the highly praised powerhouse Toronto Raptors of the NBA will be highlighted.

Until now, football has rarely been included in the conversations regarding prosperous talent stemming from the Great White North, until now. Canadian football players are being recruited to elite-level FBS schools, and many of those players are winding up in the NFL. As we approach the NFL 2022 draft – six months shy of the NFL 2022/23 season – let’s take a peek at the standout talent with the potential to take the NFL by storm in the future.

Jess Luketa

The product of Canada weighed 257lbs, standing at 6ft 3inches tall, and he delivered 18 reps of 225lbs on the bench. He posted a 10ft broad jump – with a vertical jump of 36.5inches at the Penn State University pro day. After receiving an injury during the NFL Combine, Luketa made his pro day count, proving why he’s one of the highly touted prospects out of Canadian provinces.

Additionally, he posted a 4.27-second short shuttle and a 7.29-second 3-cone drill. Luketa decided not to compete with his 4.89 run time posted pre-injury in Indianapolis.

With a strong outing at Penn State University during his four-year NCAA career, Luketa believes he has the potential to be “the most disruptive defender on the field” in the NFL, and his incredible showing at the Penn State University pro day backed up his words.

John Metchie III

Alabama wide receiver John Metchie III burst onto the scene during his 2021 campaign. Despite a torn ACL injury during the SEC Championship, he provided NFL teams with countless reasons why he’d be a fitting rookie.

While his injury provides a level of uncertainty, there’s no denying the Canadian born stand out could become the best receiver out of this year’s draft.

The New York Giants are one of the least expected teams to reach the 2023 NFL playoffs when referencing the bookmaker’s odds. But if Metchie’s post-injury form continues, he could be the perfect fit to raise the Giants’ playoff potential. Odd are of +8500 on the Giants to win the Super Bowl. This may seem unlikely but placing a $100 wager could provide a significant profit on your initial stake should the Giants make it as far as the playoffs.

Metchie would provide the Giants with agility, speed, and a savvy style that delivered multiple offensive positives to Alabama’s team. His career stats for the Crimson Tide saw 155 receptions, 2,081 yards (13.4 per catch), and 14 touchdowns – stats that could give a significant return on NFL teams and sports bettors alike.

Luiji Vilain

Representing Ottawa, Ontario, defensive lineman Luiji Vilain impressed after his college transfer to Wake Forest in 2021.

The 23-year-old evolved into the highest-rated defensive lineman in the United States after his high school tenure in Virginia. He continued form when leading the Demon Deacons in sacks last season.

Vilain recorded 34 tackles, 9 tackles for a loss, 8 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery, leaving his previous career-highs in the rear-view mirror.

Although he was left in the 2021 CFL Draft following his transfer to Wake Forest, his position at the Toronto Argonauts could end sooner than we think. We may see Vilain playing for an NFL team in 2022, as he’s projected to be a first-round pick for the 2022 NFL Draft.

Tre Ford

For the first time in CFL Combine history, a quarterback became the talk of the town.

The 2021 Hec Crighton Trophy winner, Tre Ford, wowed scouts at the University of Buffalo pro day earlier this month. A 4.45 forty-yard dash was faster than the NFL Combine 2022 expected first-round QB pick in Desmond Ridder. Ford additionally matched the 36inch vertical and 10ft 5inch broad jump of Ridder.

With the growing attention of the NFL, many believe that Ford has NFL potential written all over him. In any drill, defeating a touted #1 NFL Draft pick in Ridder is enough to garner positive attention.

Ford would enter the history books if an NFL team approached him, as he’d become the first Canadian quarterback to sign an NFL contract since 1982.