The Ottawa Redblacks emerged from the 2026 CFL draft on Tuesday night with a collection of players they affectionately call 'dogs'—tough, relentless competitors who embody a win-at-all-costs mentality.
A Draft Focused on Grit and Character
Chad Hudson, the Redblacks' director of Canadian scouting and football analytics, emphasized the team's desire to acquire players who play on the edge. 'We want to play on the edge at all times,' Hudson said. 'And this crew of guys is that, through and through.'
Hudson marveled at the competitive nature of the draftees, suggesting that even a simple card game would turn into a fierce battle. 'I don't know what would happen if we got them playing a game of cards … these guys would compete so hard. That's all these guys talked about. It was a high character grade to each one of these guys, but also high compete and high athleticism. They just met the mark.'
The Redblacks executed their draft plan effectively, securing several players later than expected. 'Some of these guys, we got late in the draft. I'm just baffled that we could get them and just so happy that we did. I think we had a good plan, and we executed,' Hudson added.
First Overall Pick: Giordano Vaccaro
With the first overall selection, Ottawa chose offensive lineman Giordano Vaccaro from Purdue University. The Winnipeg native, standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 315 pounds, previously won the 2024 J.P. Metras Trophy as the top down lineman in U SPORTS football while playing for the University of Manitoba.
Hudson praised Vaccaro's toughness and tenacity. 'That was a huge thing. He's tough. When you watch his film at Purdue, he's the last guy to touch anybody on the field. He's pushing guys from Michigan. He's pushing guys from Ohio State. He is a tough customer. He's gonna be a villain out there for us. I love this kid, and he wants to be here.'
Vaccaro expressed his desire to join the Redblacks, telling Hudson over the phone, 'This is where he wants to be, because he sees what these guys are putting together.' Hudson concluded, 'Great pick for us. And yeah, we're gonna see a lot of him in the next few years.'
Second Round: Emeric Boutin
Earlier in the week, the Redblacks traded a 2027 second-round pick to the Toronto Argonauts for Ottawa-born defensive end Luiji Vilain, who has three years of NFL experience. Vilain subsequently signed a three-year deal and is expected to be a ratio-changer for head coach and general manager Ryan Dinwiddie.
On draft day, Ottawa traded the first pick of the second round (10th overall) to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, receiving the 13th overall pick and a 2027 second-round selection in return. With the 13th pick, they selected fullback Emeric Boutin from Laval University, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 230 pounds.
Hudson lauded the trade and the pick: 'Great trade by Shawn. Absolutely fantastic for us, getting (the second-round pick) next year. We knew teams ahead of us weren't going to take (Boutin) if we moved back, just based on their rosters and what they were doing, and (Boutin) is the guy we targeted. Tough kid, another kid that wants to be here. He told me that today on the phone, before the draft. He's tough, versatile, and we're really excited to get him. He's a dog.'
Fourth Round: Charlie Parks
In the fourth round, with the 31st overall pick, the Redblacks selected defensive lineman Charlie Parks from the University of Saskatchewan. Parks measures 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds. True to the theme, Hudson described Parks as another high-character, competitive player who fits the team's identity.
