A total of 205 U SPORTS alumni have made 2023 opening week CFL rosters, eight of whom are Golden Bears football products.
Only eight U SPORTS programs boast more alumni on current CFL rosters than Alberta, with the Bears ranking third among Canada West schools, behind only Calgary (19) and Saskatchewan (11).
Among the eight Bears are two who suited up for the Evergreen & Gold in 2022 and subsequently selected in the 2023 CFL Draft — Kwadwo Boahen (DL / Calgary) and Jake Taylor (DB / Edmonton). Also cracking Week 1 rosters include Jayden Dalke (DB / Saskatchewan), Morgen Runge (FB / Saskatchewan), Mark Korte (OL / Edmonton), Cole Nelson (OL / Edmonton), David Beard (OL / Hamilton), and Justin Lawrence (OL / Montreal).
In total, all 27 U SPORTS institutions will be represented in the CFL this summer, with the Montreal Alouettes leading the CFL in U SPORTS products, with 31. Of the 21 former U SPORTS student-athletes on the hometown Edmonton Elks, three are former Bears (Korte, Nelson, Taylor). The Elks will begin their 2023 CFL season on Sunday when they host the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Commonwealth Stadium.
The 2023 Golden Bears Football season begins on September 1st, when Alberta visits the Calgary Dinos. The Bears will host the Manitoba Bisons on September 8th at Foote Field in their home-opener.
FULL U SPORTS / CFL LIST
* - Stats courtesy of McGill Sports Information
BREAKDOWN BY INSTITUTION
| Calgary |
19 |
| Laval |
16 |
| Montreal |
16 |
| Laurier |
14 |
| Western |
13 |
| Saskatchewan |
11 |
| Guelph |
9 |
| Carleton |
9 |
| Manitoba |
8 |
| Alberta |
8 |
| Ottawa |
8 |
| Queen's |
8 |
| Regina |
8 |
| McMaster |
7 |
| UBC |
7 |
| York |
7 |
| St. Francis Xavier |
6 |
| Saint Mary's |
6 |
| McGill* |
4 |
| Acadia |
4 |
| Waterloo |
4 |
| Concordia |
4 |
| Sherbrooke* |
4 |
| Toronto |
2 |
| Mount Allison |
2 |
| Windsor |
1 |
| Bishop's |
1 |
| TOTAL* |
206 |
*includes one player counted twice (i.e. he played with two U SPORTS teams)
BREAKDOWN BY CFL TEAM
| Montreal |
31 |
| Ottawa |
25 |
| Toronto |
24 |
| Hamilton |
23 |
| Winnipeg |
22 |
| Calgary |
21 |
| Edmonton |
21 |
| Saskatchewan |
20 |
| BC Lions |
18 |
| TOTAL: |
205 |
BREAKDOWN BY POSITION
| OL |
45 |
| DB / SFTY |
28 |
| LB |
33 |
| DL |
30 |
| REC |
29 |
| FB |
16 |
| RB |
8 |
| LS |
8 |
| K / P |
7 |
| QB |
1 |
| TOTAL: |
205 |
