LAS VEGAS -- The Los Angeles Chargers selected Calgary native Deane Leonard in the seventh round of the NFL draft Saturday.
The Chargers selected the six-foot-one, 194-pound Leonard, a cornerback at Ole Miss, with the 15th pick of the final round, No. 236 overall.
Leonard was the second Canadian selected in the draft. Alabama receiver John Metchie III, of Brampton, Ont., was taken in the second round, No. 44 overall, by the Houston Texans on Friday night.
Leonard started 11 games for the Rebels last season, registering 50 tackles (30 solo, one for loss) and seven breakups.
Leonard helped the Calgary Dinos win the Vanier Cup in 2019 before heading to Mississippi. In 2020, he started two-of-eight games, recording 14 tackles and four pass breakups.,
Leonard's father, Kenton, spent seven seasons with the CFL's Calgary Stampeders. Deane Leonard was selected in the second round, No. 18 overall, of the 2021 CFL draft by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Jesse Luketa was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Luketa recorded 61 tackles an interception returned for a touchdown and received third-team All-Big Ten honours in his senior season with Penn State. The Ottawa native was a standout at the Senior Bowl where he had two sacks, including a strip-sack.
The 23-year-old suffered a hamstring injury during the 40-yard dash at the draft combine and some scouts believe he could improve his ability to shed blocks as a pass rusher. He doesn’t possess a lot of speed but makes up for it with his power and finesse which should make him a strong option as a run defender given his length and hand size.
Kuiji Vilain is joining the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent after going unselected in the 2022 NFL Draft.
The deal will pay Vilain $227,000 guaranteed and also includes a $20,000 signing bonus and a $207,000 guaranteed base salary.
Vilain transferred from the University of Michigan to Wake Forest for his senior year. That decision appeared to be the right one as he had 34 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, eight sacks, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.
He was also selected in the third round of the 2021 CFL Draft by the Toronto Argonauts.
Canadian quarterback Tre Ford will look to keep his NFL dream alive as he was invited to the Baltimore Ravens rookie mini camp, his agent Fred Weinrauch confirms.
Ford won the Hec Crighton Trophy, which is given to the best player in Canadian university football, this past season after throwing for 1,770 yards, 12 touchdowns, and six interceptions while rushing 66 times for 667 yards and three touchdowns in seven games.
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