The Ottawa REDBLACKS will pick third overall in Tuesday’s 2025 Canadian Football League Draft, beginning at 6:00 pm ET.
Ottawa was originally set to pick fifth overall in this year’s draft, but will move up two spots due to the Edmonton Elks and BC Lions forfeiting their respective picks.
R.1 P.3 – REC Keelan White, Montana
Position: REC
Height: 6’2
Weight: 190
School: Montana
Date of birth: 2001-10-03
The Ottawa REDBLACKS have selected Montana receiver Keelan White with their first pick, third overall, in the 2025 CFL Draft.
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound North Vancouver native was ranked number five in the CFL’s Scouting Bureau’s winter Top 20. He suited up for the Montana Grizzlies where he had 57 receptions for 628 yards and four touchdowns. White received the 2024 Jon Cornish Trophy in December 2024, an award annually given to most outstanding Canadian student-athlete in NCAA football.
“Keelan is a productive, versatile receiver, who brings dependability and football intelligence to our club,” said REDBLACKS General Manager Shawn Burke. “We are extremely pleased to welcome him to the Ottawa REDBLACKS.”
During the 2024 season, he averaged just over 11 yards per catch and 48 yards per game, earning him a place among the Big Sky’s 15 best receivers and Second Team All-Conference honours. The former UM walk-on finished his career with the Grizzlies with 161 catches (11th in program history) for 1,862 yards (21st in program history).
R.2 P.12 – OL Sam Carson, Louisiana Monroe
Position: OL
Height: 6’4
Weight: 300
School: Louisiana Monroe
Date of birth: 2002-02-18
The Ottawa REDBLACKS have selected Louisiana-Monroe offensive lineman Sam Carson with their second pick, 12th overall, in the 2025 CFL Draft.
The 6-foot-4, 300-pound Calgary, Alberta native made nine starts and appeared in nine games for the Warhawks during the 2024 season. He was named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy awarded to the top college football player with the best combination of academics, leadership and on-field performance by the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Football Hall of Fame. Prior to his time in Louisiana, Carson played for the University of Calgary Dinos where he anchored an offensive line that helped Calgary average 175 rushing yards per game and 6.2 yards per carry.
“Sam is a highly competitive offensive lineman, who played at a very high level in 2024,” said REDBLACKS General Manager Shawn Burke. “His combination of versatility and intelligence will serve as an asset to our team.”
He is the son of Paul Carson who earned All-Canadian Second-Team honours as an offensive guard and won two Vanier Cups (1985 and 1988) with U of C. He also served as Sam’s position coach during his time with the Dinos.
R.4 P.33 – DL Muftah Ageli, Northwestern Oklahoma State
Position: DL
Height: 6’2
Weight: 310
School: Northwestern Oklahoma State
Date of birth: 2003-07-14
The Ottawa REDBLACKS have selected Northwestern Oklahoma State defensive lineman Muftah Ageli with their fourth-round pick, 33rd overall, in the 2025 CFL Draft.
The 6-foot-2, 298-pound Windsor, Ontario native suited up for the Rangers in 2024 and was named Third-Team All-Conference after recording 34 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack and one reception over 10 games. Prior to his time with Northwestern Oklahoma State, he spent some time with the Windsor Lancers where he recorded 80 total tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks, four pass knockdowns, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one interception over 25 games. In 2023, he was named a Second Team U Sports All-Canadian and a First Team OUA All-Star. In 2022, he earned a Second Team OUA All-Star selection.
R.5 P.42 – DB Eric Cumberbatch, Ottawa
Position: DB
Height: 6’3
Weight: 185
School: Ottawa
Date of birth: 2002-10-08
The Ottawa REDBLACKS have selected University of Ottawa defensive back Eric Cumberbatch with their fifth-round pick, 42nd overall, in the 2025 CFL Draft.
Hailing from Alexandria, Ontario, Cumberbatch played college football for the uOttawa Geegees where he registered 10.5 tackles, one sack and one interception in four games played during the 2024 season. During the 2023 season, he earned U Sports First Team All-Canadian and OUA First Team All-Star honours, starting all eight regular season and one playoff game at defensive halfback. He finished the regular season ranked third on the team with 32.5 total tackles (23 solo, 19 assisted) with two interceptions and four broken up passes.
Cumberbatch has accepted a 2025 NFL rookie mini-camp invite with New Orleans Saints.
R.6 P.51 – WR Ethan Jordan, Wilfrid Laurier
Position: WR
Height: 5’11
Weight: 166
School: Wilfrid Laurier
Date of birth: 2002-07-18
The Ottawa REDBLACKS have selected Wilfrid Laurier University receiver Ethan Jordan with their sixth-round pick, 51st overall, in the 2025 CFL Draft.
A native of Chatham, Ontario, Jordan suited up for the Golden Hawks where he recorded 99 receptions for 1479 yards and 12 touchdowns in 13 games. Ethan helped Laurier win the Yates Cup and Uteck Bowl in 2024. During the 2023-24 season, he was named an OUA First-Team All-Star and U Sports First-Team All-Canadian.
R.7 P.60 – LB Jayden Griffiths, Wilfrid Laurier
Position: LB
Height: 6’0
Weight: 227
School: Wilfrid Laurier
Date of birth:
The Ottawa REDBLACKS have selected Wilfrid Laurier linebacker Jayden Griffiths with their seventh-round pick, 60th overall, in the 2025 CFL Draft.
A product of Mississauga, Ontario, Griffiths suited up in 13 games last season, recording 31 solo tackles and 17 assisted tackles. He was the teammate of sixth-round pick Ethan Jordan, with who he won the 2024 Yates Cup and 2024 Uteck Bowl.
R.8 P.68 – DB King Ambers, East Texas A&M
Position: DB
Height: 6’3
Weight: 191
School: East Texas A&M
Date of birth:
The Ottawa REDBLACKS have selected East Texas A&M University defensive back King Ambers with their eight-round pick, 68th overall, in the 2025 CFL Draft.
The 6-foot-3, Pickering, Ontario native recorded 29 tackles, one forced fumble and one deflected pass in 13 games played during the 2024 season.
