The road to the 2025 NFL draft is heating up with the Senior Bowl taking place in Mobile, Alabama. Each year, players eligible for the draft from various college football programs are invited to showcase their skills, providing NFL scouts and team executives additional footage to evaluate before the draft.

While the Senior Bowl doesn’t always feature the top-tier names, it includes significant first-round prospects during the week of practices leading up to Saturday’s matchup. Players are divided into the “National” and “American” teams, facing off against different athletes from conferences they did not encounter in their college careers.

In this year’s weaker quarterback class, several passers are looking to elevate their draft positions, including Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart, and Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel.

Making history is Taylor Elgersma, the first quarterback from a Canadian university to join the ranks at the Senior Bowl.

The native of London, Ontario, aims to become the first Canadian NFL quarterback in two decades.

Here’s how Taylor Elgersma earned his spot at the Senior Bowl, his background, and other Canadian players in the NFL.

Taylor Elgersma’s Path to the Senior Bowl

Ben Neill, head coach at QB Country in Birmingham, Alabama, a training academy for quarterbacks, played a pivotal role in Elgersma’s journey. While working in Birmingham, Elgersma caught Neill’s attention, leading him to contact Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy.

“Ben reached out to me around October saying, ‘I know this might seem ambitious to suggest for the Senior Bowl, but we’ve got this impressive guy from Canada,'” Nagy shared on the 3DownNation podcast. “He’s tall, strong, has a big arm. I’d love to get more attention on him.”

The Senior Bowl typically only allows six to eight quarterbacks each year. Last year saw Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix, both of whom were first-round draft picks.

Elgersma received some good fortune when one of the designated quarterbacks had to withdraw.

“I had NFL contacts from other teams reaching out,” Nagy explained. “They said, ‘If you’re looking for a guy who can throw, we can tell he has the ability. We haven’t seen much of him on tape [so] we’d be excited to see him there.'”

Nagy is confident that Elgersma possesses the height and talent suitable for the Senior Bowl.

“From a physical perspective, standing almost 6-foot-5 and weighing 213 pounds with impressive arm strength shown on tape this is not in question,” he noted. “We thought it would be a great addition to the game.”

Should Elgersma be drafted in the 2025 NFL draft or sign with a team afterward, he would become the first Canadian-born quarterback in the NFL since Jesse Palmer in 2003.

Taylor Elgersma’s Profile and Scouting Insights

Elgersma served as a three-year starter for the Golden Hawks at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario. Here’s a breakdown of his performance during each year as a starter:

• 2022 (10 games): 178-of-270 (65.9%) passing, totaling 2,141 yards with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions; added 32 carries for 125 rushing yards and one touchdown
• 2023 (11 games): 274-of-367 (74.6%) passing, amassing 3,482 yards with 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions; had 35 carries for 182 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns
• 2024 (13 games): 293-of-397 (73.8%) passing, achieving 4,252 yards with 35 touchdowns and 11 interceptions; recorded 49 carries for 245 rushing yards and seven touchdowns

Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 212 pounds, Elgersma possesses ideal NFL dimensions. His arm strength is notable, even by professional standards, and his athleticism allows him to move well outside the pocket. He has drawn physical comparisons to former first-round quarterback Paxton Lynch.

Elgersma’s statistics and performances have come at the Canadian collegiate level, which underscores the significance of his participation in the Senior Bowl for his NFL prospects. He showcased several impressive throws during practices but also faced challenges, including an interception.

Canadian Athletes in the NFL

Currently, there are 27 active players in the NFL who were born in Canada, contributing to a total of 136 throughout the league’s history, which includes Pro Football Hall of Famers Bronko Nagurski and Arnie Weinmeister.

Here’s a list of active NFL players born in Canada, according to Pro Football Reference:

• OG Isaiah Adams (Arizona Cardinals)
• DT Eli Ankou (Buffalo Bills)
• OG Matthew Bergeron (Atlanta Falcons)
• RB Chase Brown (Cincinnati Bengals)
• S Sydney Brown (Philadelphia Eagles)
• CB Tevaughn Campbell (free agent)
• WR Chase Claypool (free agent)
• DT Neville Gallimore (Los Angeles Rams)
• WR N’Keal Harry (free agent)
• OG Kyle Hergel (New Orleans Saints)
• S Jevon Holland (Miami Dolphins)
• RB Chuba Hubbard (Carolina Panthers)
• OT Alaric Jackson (Los Angeles Rams)
• TE Theo Johnson (New York Giants)
• TE Nikola Kalinic (Atlanta Falcons)
• CB Deane Leonard (Los Angeles Chargers)
• LB Jesse Luketa (Arizona Cardinals)
• TE Tanner McLachlan (Cincinnati Bengals)
• OG Carter O’Donnell (Arizona Cardinals)
• WR Joshua Palmer (Los Angeles Chargers)
• LB Tavius Robinson (Baltimore Ravens)
• DT Nathan Shepherd (New Orleans Saints)
• OT Dakoda Shepley (free agent)
• OG Sidy Sow (New England Patriots)
• CB Benjamin St-Juste (Washington Commanders)
• DE Brent Urban (Baltimore Ravens)
• LB Luiji Vilain (Dallas Cowboys)