Meet the top Canadians in the NFL draft

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Even by NFL draft standards, this year's will be quite the spectacle. It's being held on the Las Vegas strip, where the opulent setup for tonight's made-for-TV first round includes a red-carpet stage built over the water in front of the Bellagio fountains.

All this hoopla, though, can't hide the fact that this year's draft class is pretty lacklustre. It's devoid of can't-miss quarterbacks (the biggest driver of draft interest) and the top half-dozen or so prospects all play on defence or the offensive line. The favourite to be selected first overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars is Travon Walker, a high-upside pass rusher who had only six sacks last season for collegiate national champion Georgia. A QB might not be picked until the back half of the first round, where Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett and Liberty's Malik Willis are expected to land.

This draft might also be a letdown from a Canadian perspective. Last year, a record-tying four Canadians were picked (all from rounds two through four in the seven-round draft). In 2020, receiver Chase Claypool got chosen in the second round by Pittsburgh and went on to have a dynamite 11-touchdown rookie season. The current class lacks that kind of quality or quantity in terms of Canadian prospects. None are expected to be chosen in tonight's first round, and as few as two could be picked before the draft wraps up on Saturday.

The top Canadian is Alabama receiver John Metchie III. He had a team-high 98 catches and scored eight touchdowns last year for college football's premier program before suffering a torn ACL in the Crimson Tide's