Illinois running back and London, Ontario, native leads 20 outstanding Canadians

TORONTO (September 8, 2022) – University of Illinois running back Chase Brown sits atop the Fall Edition of the Canadian Football League (CFL) Scouting Bureau. The London, Ont., native is joined by 19 outstanding collegiate athletes in the ranking of the Top-20 eligible prospects for the 2023 CFL Draft.

The CFL Scouting Bureau, comprised of CFL scouts, as well as player personnel directors and general managers from the league’s nine clubs, releases its rankings three times each year: in the fall, winter and spring.

Rank | Name | Position | School | Hometown

• 1 | Chase Brown | RB | Illinois | London, Ont.
• 2 | Dontae Bull | OL | Fresno State | Victoria
• 3 | Sydney Brown | DB | Illinois | London, Ont.
• 4 | Jared Wayne | WR | Pittsburgh | Peterborough, Ont.
• 5 | Nick Mardner | WR | Cincinnati | Mississauga, Ont.
• 6 | Lwal Uguak | DL | TCU | Edmonton
• 7 | Sidy Sow | OL | Eastern Michigan | Bromont, Que.
• 8 | Theo Benedet | OL | UBC | North Vancouver, B.C.
• 9 | Tavius Robinson | DL | Ole Miss | Guelph, Ont.
• 10 | Jonathan Sutherland | DB | Penn State | Ottawa
• 11 | Francis Bemiy | DL | Southern Utah | Montreal
• 12 | Gabe Wallace | OL | Buffalo | Salmon Arm, B.C.
• 13 | Clark Barnes | WR | Guelph | Brampton, Ont.
• 14 | Daniel Johnson | OL | Purdue | London, Ont.
• 15 | Giovanni Manu | OL | UBC | Pitt Meadows, B.C.
• 16 | Harrison Bagayogo | DB | Guelph | Bois-des-Filion, Que.
• 17 | Justin Sambu | DL | Maine | Calgary
• 18 | Jake Taylor | LB | Alberta | Beaumont, Alta.
• 19 | Reece Martin | DL | Mount Allison | Moncton, N.B.
• 20 | Lake Korte-Moore | DL | UBC | Ottawa

BY THE NUMBERS

• The fall prospect list includes:
  • Six defensive linemen
  • Six offensive linemen
  • Three defensive backs
  • Three wide receivers
  • One linebacker
  • One running back
• 16 schools are represented in the rankings with three schools featuring multiple players:
  • Illinois University (No. 1 Chase Brown and No. 3 Sydney Brown)
  • University of British Columbia (No. 8 Theo Benedet, No. 15 Giovanni Manu and No. 20 Lake Korte-Moore)
  • University of Guelph (No. 13 Clark Barnes and No. 16 Harrison Bagayogo)
• 13 prospects are from the NCAA; 7 from U SPORTS
• Six of the nine first round selections in the 2022 CFL Draft were listed in the 2021 Scouting Bureau: Fall Edition

TOP-5 PROSPECTS

CHASE BROWN | RB | ILLINOIS

• 350 rushing yards, averaging 6.4 yards per carry and two touchdowns in two games
• Surpassed the 100-yard rushing mark in both games; three total touchdowns on the season
• Week 0’s Big-Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week after 151 rushing yards and three touchdowns
• 1,913 rushing yards and 11 total touchdowns in 24 career games with Illinois
• Named to the Senior Bowl, Maxwell Award and Doak Walker Award watch lists
• Athlon Preseason All-Big Ten second team
• Twin brother Sydney is ranked No. 3 on the 2022 Scouting Bureau: Fall Edition

DONTAE BULL | OL | FRESNO STATE

• In Fresno State’s season-opening 35-7 victory over Cal Poly, the offence notched 377 passing yards and 188 rushing yards
• Entering fifth season, has appeared in 35 games, including 27 starts
• In 2021, Fresno State finished with the top offense in the Mountain West and was ranked No. 14 in the FBS
• Named to the Senior Bowl watch list

SYDNEY BROWN | DB | ILLINOIS

• Ten tackles (five solo and five assisted), a tackle for a loss and a pass breakup in two games
• 41 career collegiate games, including 37 starts, with 270 tackles (151 solo, 119 assisted), 14 passes defended, four interceptions and three forced fumbles
• Athlon Preseason All-Big Ten second team
• Named to Senior Bowl watch list
• Twin brother Chase is ranked No. 1 on the 2022 Scouting Bureau: Fall Edition

JARED WAYNE | WR | PITTSBURGH

• Team-high three receptions for 89 yards in season-opener versus West Virginia
• In 2021, notched personal bests in receptions (47), receiving yards (658) and touchdowns (6)
• 30 career collegiate games with 89 catches for 1,334 yards and eight touchdowns.
• Former quarterback at Trinity College School in Port Hope, Ont.; 2-for-3 passing for Pittsburgh, including one touchdown pass.

NICK MARDNER | WR | CINCINNATI

• 35-yard touchdown reception in first game this season – his first with Cincinnati
• Attended University of Hawaii in first three collegiate seasons
• 46 receptions for 913 yards and five touchdowns in third season at Hawaii
• 34 career collegiate games with 63 receptions for 1,305 yards and nine touchdowns

Full coverage of the 2022 season on CFL News Hub.