2022 NFL Draft: Metchie, Luketa lead next wave of Canadian prospects

There is a new wave of Canadian talent looking to hear their names called on the Las Vegas Strip with the 2022 NFL Draft set to begin April 28 at the iconic Bellagio Fountain.

Jevon Holland, Benjamin St-Juste, Josh Palmer and Chuba Hubbard were selected in the 2021 NFL Draft and each enjoyed successful rookie campaigns. It was also just the second time four Canadians were selected in the NFL Draft after Brent Urban, John Urschel, T.J. Jones and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif were selected in 2014.

It also marks the third-straight year where multiple Canadians have been drafted to the NFL and more and more have been selected in the earlier rounds.

While it’s unlikely we see more than four Canadian players picked at the 2022 NFL Draft, there is still a possibility we could see at least three selected. Here is a look at 2022’s top Canadian NFL prospects.

John Metchie, WR, Alabama
Draft projection: Rounds 2-3

Teams that have selected receivers out of Alabama over the past few years have not been disappointed and Metchie looks to keep that tradition going strong.

It looked like the Brampton, Ont., native was going to be in the conversation as a potential first-round pick before suffering a torn ACL towards the end of last season. That will likely hurt his draft stock but he still put up great numbers after recording a team-high 96 catches in 2021 for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns.

Metchie decided to opt for the draft rather than return for his senior year with the Crimson Tide and should be hearing his name called on Day 2. Many scouts rave about his ability to make explosive plays, is an efficient route runner and he can also track the ball well in the air which should allow him to thrive as a slot receiver for whichever team selects him.

Where the concern lies with Metchie is his size as he isn’t the most physical receiver, doesn’t possess elite speed and needs to improve on the 15 dropped balls he had over his college career. Despite that, there is no doubting the dynamic ability Metchie provides and there won’t be a shortage of teams looking to upgrade their receiver depth early in the draft.

It has already been reported by NFL insider Jordan Schultz that Metchie has met with the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars while Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline added the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans have also met with the 21-year-old.

Jesse Luketa
Draft projection: Rounds 2-4

Luketa’s mother moved from the Democratic Republic of Congo during a time when the country was in a state of civil war and was able to find a new home in Ottawa where he was born. His mother’s sacrifices provided him with a better life in Canada and a path for him to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL.

He was a four-star recruit when he decided to play for Penn State as a linebacker and defensive end. Luketa was named a captain for the 2020 season where he put up 59 tackles, including 31 solo tackles and one fumble recovery.

Playing more as a defensive end last year in his senior season, Luketa improved on his production as he had 61 tackles an interception returned for a touchdown and would receive third-team All-Big Ten honours. He was a standout performance at the Senior Bowl where he had two sacks, including a strip-sack which put him in the conversation as a mid-round pick.

Unfortunately, Luketa suffered a hamstring injury during the 40-yard dash at the draft combine and some scouts believe he could improve his ability to shed blocks as a pass rusher. He doesn’t possess a lot of speed but makes up for it with his power and finesse which should make him a strong option as a run defender given his length and hand size.

Luiji Vilain
Draft projection: Rounds 5-7

Vilain used a strong performance at Wake Forest University’s pro day to get on the radar of NFL teams ahead of the draft. The Ottawa native had a 4.75-second forty-yard dash and a 1.57-second 10-yard split.

He was one of the top-rated defensive line prospects when he committed to the University of Michigan. After a couple of lacklustre seasons with Michigan, Vilain transferred to Wake Forest for his senior year.

That decision appeared to be the right one as he had 34 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, eight sacks, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. He was also selected in the third round of the 2021 CFL Draft by the Toronto Argonauts but obviously his focus will be looking to realize his NFL dream.

Vilain has already met with the Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys but it’s tough to gauge whether he will be taken.

Some of his strengths include the ability the ability to drop into shallow zones in coverage. He has a good motor, rarely gives up on a play and shows a great ability to gain leverage on an offensive tackle.

What has held Vilain back is that he struggles to set the edge against the run and will need to add more pass rush moves to his arsenal.

Jake Julien
Draft projection: Rounds 5-7 or undrafted signing

The punter from Barrie, Ont., has been on the radar of a few NFL teams after his performance at Eastern Michigan’s pro day.

He told Dan Ralph of the Canadian Press earlier in April that he has conducted two private workouts with at least three more scheduled. He put up his best season in 2021 averaging 45.9 yards per punt, had 17 fair catches and had 14 punts travel 50 yards while his longest went for 78 yards.

Even if he doesn’t land in the NFL, Julien will be able to continue his football career in the CFL with the Ottawa Redblacks who drafted him in the fourth round in 2021.

“I’m not going to waver in the face of adversity,” he told the Canadian Press. “I’ve been through tough times, I know how to handle failure, I know how to handle success.

“I think I’ll be a mature rookie who’s going to come in and compete. I think I’m self-aware, I know what my game is and I’m a competitor. I’m going to grind for it.”

Patrice Rene
Draft projection: Round 7 or undrafted/training camp invite option

Rene is a bit of a wild card going into the draft. The defensive back was drafted in the third round of the 2021 CFL Draft by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers but still wants to keep the door open on an NFL career.

He had a devastating ACL injury in 2019 but worked his way back with UNC and finished his final season with Rutgers in 2021. During his time at North Carolina, Rene made 103 tackles, four tackles for loss, 14 pass deflections and forced forced turnovers through 45 games played. Injuries also limited him to five games with Rutgers but he did get to show what he could do against top competition like Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State. If he doesn’t get his opportunity in the NFL, Rene will still get a chance to play football in 2022 with Winnipeg.