Ottawa Redblacks take former Manitoba Bisons offensive lineman Vaccaro first overall in CFL draft

The Ottawa Redblacks selected Purdue offensive lineman Giordano Vaccaro first overall in the CFL draft Tuesday night.

The six-foot-two, 307-pound Winnipeg native spent 2025 at Purdue, appearing in all 12 games and seeing action on offence and special teams. He played 22 snaps in the Boilermakers’ season finale, a 56-3 loss to eventual NCAA champion Indiana on Nov. 28.

Vaccaro spent his first three collegiate campaigns at Manitoba, cracking the Bisons’ starting lineup as an 18-year-old freshman. Twice he was an all-Canadian (2023, ’24) and in 2024 was U Sports football’s top down lineman before transferring to Purdue.

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The Toronto Argonauts followed by selecting Queen’s offensive lineman Nicklas Henning. The six-foot-six, 298-pound Milton, Ont., native was an Ontario University Athletics (OUA) all-star and second-team all-Canadian last year for the Yates Cup champions.

Henning began his college career as a tight end. He recently accepted invitations to attend the Indianapolis Colts and Las Vegas Raiders rookie mini-camps.

The Edmonton Elks took Rutgers linebacker Dariel Djabome third overall. The six-foot-two, 237-pound Montreal native appeared in 12 games last season, recording 71 tackles (27 solo, 4.5 for loss), two sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

Djabome appeared in 47 career games at Rutgers, registering 192 tackles (81 solo, 13 for loss) with 5.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a pass knockdown.
Then at No. 4, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers took Wake Forest defensive lineman Nuer Gatkuoth. The six-foot-three, 237-pound Edmonton native recorded 39 tackles (17 solo, 8.5 for loss), six sacks and a forced fumble in 12 games last season.

Gatkuoth began his NCAA career at Colorado State (2022-24). He recently accepted an invitation to the Denver Broncos’ rookie mini-camp.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats then took Jonathan Denis, an offensive lineman at Louisiana Tech with the fifth selection. The six-foot-three, 316-pound Denis played 12 games at right guard last year and was born in Montreal but raised in Florida.

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