CFL teams load up on punters, kickers in league’s 2026 global draft

Australian James Burnip, 25, who played collegiately at Alabama, and American Noah Gettman, 25, (Akron) are the punters currently on Ottawa’s roster.

Ottawa released veteran Canadian kicker Lewis Ward this off-season and signed fellow Canuck Brett Lauther, who spent last season with the Grey Cup-champion Saskatchewan Roughriders. Lauther, 35, could also punt in a pinch, but Dinwiddie said the plan is to let the Truro, N.S., native concentrate on field goals, converts and kickoffs.

Once again, the draft was again dominated by kicking specialists. Of the 18 players selected over the two rounds, 10 were either punters or kickers.

Ottawa and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats both used their two selections on specialists, as six of the first nine selections were either punters or kickers. And six of the 18 players drafted were from Australia.

The Redblacks took Southern Illinois kicker Paul Geelen (of the Netherlands) to start the second round. Geelen converted 25-of-32 field goals (78.13 per cent) and averaged 42.3 yards per punt over two seasons at Southern Illinois, but will attend the Denver Broncos mini-camp.

Brendan Taman, Ottawa’s global director, said Laros’s and Geelen’s versatility played heavily in their selection.

“Aidan is what I call a unicorn because most of the global players are strictly punters-holders, but he has the unique ability to be a really good kickoff guy as well, which drove up his value in our eyes,” said Taman. “Paul does field goals, kicks off and actually punted at Southern Illinois.

“Both were valued highly because of the multiple assets they bring in their skills.”

The Toronto Argonauts were the only team not to take a punter or kicker. Instead, they selected offensive linemen Jordan Spasojevic-Moko (an Australian out of California) and Fa’alili Fa’amoe (an American Samoan out of Wake Forest).

The six-foot-five, 335-pound Spasojevic-Moko started 13 games for Cal last season. He played 10 games at the University of Charlotte in 2024 and nine games at Texas A&M (2021-2023).

The towering Fa’amoe (six foot five, 317 pounds) made 12 starts at Wake Forest in 2025. He played in 29 games over five seasons (2020-2024) at Washington State before transferring to Wake Forest.

The Edmonton Elks took Mexican kicker Jesus Gomez (Arizona State) with the third pick, while Finland’s Edward Vesterinen (defensive lineman from West Virginia) went to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at No. 4.

Hamilton then took Australian punter Nick Haberer (Vanderbilt) before the Calgary Stampeders selected Irish kicker Jude McAtamney (Rutgers) and the B.C. Lions picked Australian punter Brett Thorson (Georgia).

The six-foot-two, 235-pound Thorson helped Georgia win the ’22 NCAA title and posted a 45.6-yard average over four seasons (52 games) with the Bulldogs. He recently signed as an undrafted free agent with the Minnesota Vikings.

Then in the second round, the Lions selected Mississippi State tight end Seydou Traore, of Great Britain, who was taken in the fifth round of the ’26 NFL draft by the Miami Dolphins.

Also in the second round, Hamilton took Australian punter Mitch McCarthy, who posted a 41.6-yard average last season with NCAA-champion Indiana. The six-foot-five, 233-pound McCarthy, 28, previously spent time at the University of Central Florida, appearing in 37 games there and registering a 43-yard average.

Montreal and Saskatchewan completed the opening round by taking positional players. The Alouettes selected German offensive lineman Mark Petry (Syracuse) before the Riders took English linebacker Mapalo Mwansa (Loughborough University).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 29, 2026.

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

CFL teams load up on punters, kickers in league’s 2026 global draft

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