Six Gee-Gees selected in 2022 CFL Draft, Pelehos goes second overall to Ottawa
Highlighted by offensive lineman Zach Pelehos going second overall to the Ottawa REDBLACKS, six Gee-Gees were selected in the 2022 CFL Draft Tuesday night.
Ottawa's six players selected were the most of any school in the 2022 draft.
In addition to Pelehos, Chris Ciguineau (Winnipeg – 47th overall), Frednick Eveillard (BC – 50th overall), J-P Cimankinda (Edmonton – 57th overall), Adam Wallace (BC – 68th overall) and Michael Pezzuto (Toronto – 71st overall) were selected. The six players chosen are the most for the program in a single draft since eight Gee-Gees were picked in 1978.
Pelehos didn't have to wait long to hear his name called, being selected with the second pick by the REDBLACKS. Tim Berryman (1976, Edmonton) remains the lone Gee-Gee picked first overall in the CFL Draft.
The 6'6", 300 lbs. lineman rose in the draft rankings in recent weeks. After initially only being invited to the East Regional Combine, his impressive showing at both the East Regional and National Combine had numerous CFL teams high on the Gananoque, Ont., product. He entered Tuesday as the 15th best prospect (fourth among offensive linemen) according to the CFL Scouting Bureau.
Pelehos will join fellow Gee-Gees alums Jackson Bennett, Brendan Gillanders, Reshaan Davis and Ty Cranston on the REDBLACKS.
Defensive back Chris Ciguineau was picked in the fifth round (47th overall) by the Blue Bombers. Like Pelehos, Ciguineau's eye-popping numbers at the combines moved him up many teams' draft boards.
Just three picks later, Frednick Eveillard went to the BC Lions. The Gatineau, Que., product is one of the most unique stories in the draft. After starting his university career as a receiver, Eveillard moved to the defensive line and will join Ottawa alumnus Jamie Harry on the Leos.
Edmonton selected J-P Cimankinda with the first pick of the seventh round. Cimankinda finished third among OUA running backs in rushing yards in 2021.
The draft concluded with defensive linemen Adam Wallace and Michael Pezzuto being picked in the eighth round by BC and Toronto, respectively. Remarkably, neither player was invited to the Regional Combine or featured in CFL mock drafts.
Sixty of the 74 players chosen Tuesday evening were U SPORTS players.
The Gee-Gees open the 2022 season on the road against Windsor before returning to TD Place to take on Queen's on Sept. 3. The complete 2022 schedule can be found HERE.
Read the Gee-Gees football program's complete CFL Draft history HERE. Complete 2022 CFL Draft results can be found HERE.