Here are the Canadians selected in the first round of the NFL Draft

Canadian football celebrates another milestone.

In the 2026 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Chargers selected Franco-Ontarian Akheem Mesidor with the 22nd overall pick. The Ottawa native thus becomes only the seventh Canadian player to be selected in the first round in the history of the NFL.

Mesidor's meteoric rise serves as a reminder that Canadian talent is increasingly making its mark across the border. Before him, other players paved the way, with varying degrees of success but always with equal prestige. One notable example is tight end Dalton Kincaid, drafted in 2023 by the Buffalo Bills, who proudly wears the Canadian flag on his helmet in tribute to his mother's Ontario roots.

A Legacy of Pioneers: From Biakabutuka to N'Keal Harry

The history of first-round picks from Canada is dotted with fascinating stories. The most famous in Quebec remains, without a doubt, Tim Biakabutuka. Selected 8th overall by the Carolina Panthers in 1996, he remains to this day the only Quebecer in history to have made the top 32. Although his career was cut short by injuries, his impact on the NFL's popularity in the province was immense.

More recently, Toronto-born wide receiver N'Keal Harry was the Patriots' final first-round pick in 2019. While his time in the NFL has been more low-key than expected, he has kept alive the tradition of seeing a local athlete shine under the Thursday night spotlight.

The strength of the line: Mandarich, Watkins, and Schad

The success of Canadians in the NFL often hinges on the line of scrimmage. Akheem Mesidor is following in the footsteps of rugged linemen like Mike Schad, who was the very first Canadian selected in the first round (by the Rams in 1986). We also remember Danny Watkins (Eagles, 2011) and the colossal Tony Mandarich, the second overall pick in 1989. While Mandarich is often cited as one of the biggest busts when compared to legends like Barry Sanders, he remains a symbol of Canadian brute strength.

For Mesidor, the adventure is just beginning. Under the Los Angeles sun, he'll have the daunting task of proving that this 22nd pick was a sound investment, all while carrying the hopes of an entire nation of football fans on his shoulders.

Created by humans, assisted by AI.