WATERLOO, ON – Wilfrid Laurier University men’s football player Godfrey Onyeka of Brampton, Ont., was among the Top 20 Canadian prospects for the 2018 Canadian Football League (CFL) Draft as the league’s Scouting Bureau announced the first rankings of the year on Wednesday afternoon.

Onyeka has been named the fourth overall prospect and the top USports player in the first CFL Scouting Bureau List for the 2018 draft. This marks the second consecutive year in which a Laurier player is the top ranked USports athlete in the initial rankings, with Kwaku Boatang opening at sixth overall in 2016.

After helping the Golden Hawks win the Yates Cup in 2016, Onyeka returns to the field as Laurier’s starting defensive back in the 2017 season. With racking up awards such as being named a two-time USports Men’s Football First Team All-Canadian, a two-time OUA Men’s Football First Team All-Star and the 2014 OUA Men’s Football All-Rookie Team, it is no surprise that Onyeka is amongst the top twenty.

NOTES: Making it a family affair, Onyeka’s younger brother Kene Onyeka is ranked eight on the list. Another notable athlete on the list is David Knevel, the brother of Laurier’s quarterback Michael Knevel, who is ranked first. 

CFL SCOUTING BUREAU AUGUST 30, 2017 LIST:
Rank    Name                         Pos.     University                     Hometown                    Ht.       Wt.
1.         David Knevel              OL       Nebraska                     Brampton, Ont.            6-9       315
2.         Trey Rutherford          OL       Connecticut                  Markham, Ont.            6-5       312
3.         Ryan Hunter               OL       Bowling Green             North Bay, Ont.           6-4       325
4.         Godfrey Onyeka         DB       Laurier                         Brampton, Ont.           6-2       200
5.         Darius Ciraco             OL        Calgary                       Burlington, Ont.           6-4       295
6.         Peter Godber             OL        Rice                            Toronto, Ont.                6-3       300
7.         Tyrone Pierre             REC     Laval                           Ottawa, Ont.                6-3       210
8.         Kene Onyeka             DL        Carleton                      Brampton, Ont.            6-3       235
9.         Regis Cibasu             REC     Montreal                      Kinshasa, Congo         6-2       230
10.       Julien Laurent            DL        Georgia State              Toronto, Ont.               6-4       295
11.       Christopher Amoah    RB        Laval                           Montreal, Que.            5-10     206
12.       Rashaun Simonise    REC      Calgary */Okanagan   Vancouver, B.C.          6-5       200
13.       Andrew Pickett          OL         Guelph                        Kitchener, Ont.            6-4       300
14.       Dakoda Shepley        OL         UBC                           Windsor, Ont.               6-5       295
15.       Alex Taylor                 RB        Western                      Winnipeg, Man.            5-10     205
16.       Ryan Sceviour           OL         Calgary                       Calgary, Alta.               6-4       305
17.       Keiler Cherry             OL         Acadia                         Lloydminster, Alta.       6-7       300
18.       Jonathan B.-Glaou    DL         Montreal                      Lyster, Que.                 6-0       227
19.       Jackson Bennett       DB         Ottawa                        Cumberland, Ont.        6-0       214
20.       Nelkas Kwemo          LB          Queen’s                     Montreal, Que.             6-3       226