CFL draft affected by NFL signings

Three of the top five prospects in the 2013 CFL Draft have already signed undrafted free agent contracts with NFL teams.

By Louis Bien@louisbien May 5, 2013, 8:51am EDT

The 2013 CFL Draft is Monday and, as with the NFL Draft a week ago, it is still unclear who will go No. 1 overall, though for different reasons. General managers in the Canadian Football League are struggling to set their draft boards with several of the draft's top prospects opting to sign undrafted free agent deals with NFL teams or return to college.

Teams in the CFL can only select from Canadian-born/non-import players, which already restricts the pool of players. Then there is the temptation of the NFL. This year's second and fourth-best prospects according to the CFL Scouting Bureau, Regina defensive lineman Stefan Charles and McMaster offensive lineman Matt Sewell, have both signed free agent contracts with the Tennessee Titans. Andy Mulumba, an offensive lineman out of Eastern Michigan and the bureau's No. 5 prospect, has signed with the Green Bay Packers.

This year's top-ranked prospect has also withdrawn from the draft. Oregon linebacker Bo Lokombo is eligible for the CFL Draft, but has decided to return to college to, in part, raise his stock for the 2014 NFL Draft. Lokombo didn't start last season, but he made an impact with 39 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions and a forced fumble in 13 games played for the Ducks last season.

With Lokombo and Charles out, Calgary defensive lineman Linden Gaydosh could move up from No. 3 to become the de facto No. 1 prospect in this year's draft. He'll be a tempting selection at No. 1 overall for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. With this year's No. 6 prospect Norman MacMillan returning to Iowa, defensive end Ben D'Aguilar out of McMaster is the current No. 2 prospect on the board. He could go No. 2 overall to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.