5 Canadians to watch in the NFL this season
A few standouts have emerged from recent drafts
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Canada's rise as a basketball nation is evident at the men's World Cup, where a deep group of NBA players led by MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has earned its country's first-ever berth in the semifinals and a spot in next year's Olympics.
Canadians have yet to make as great of an impact at the highest level of pro football, but their NFL footprint is growing. For instance, a record five Canadians were picked in this year's draft after four were taken in 2021.
As the 2023 season kicks off tonight with the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs hosting the up-and-coming Detroit Lions, here are five Canadian NFL players to keep an eye on:
Chase Claypool, receiver, Chicago Bears
The second-round pick out of Notre Dame dazzled as a rookie for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020, when he scored four touchdowns in a single game and finished the season with 11 TDs and 62 receptions for 873 yards. But Claypool's TD total fell to two in 2021 as he found himself in coach Mike Tomlin's doghouse, and he remained stuck in neutral last year when Pittsburgh traded him to the rebuilding Bears.
The Windy City isn't exactly a receiver's haven with run-happy quarterback Justin Fields at the helm. And Claypool finds himself lower on the depth chart this year after the Bears traded for D.J. Moore to be their new No. 1 receiver. But that move could help elevate Fields' shaky passing and lift Chicago out of the basement after it went a league-worst 3-14 last year.
Jevon Holland, safety, Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins, one of the fastest teams in the NFL, feature flashy playmakers like star receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and newly acquired cornerback Jalen Ramsey (out until December with a knee injury). But the secret star of the Miami defence is Holland, a 2021 second-round pick who led the team with two interceptions last year while quietly becoming one of the better safeties in the league.
Holland might earn wider acclaim (and his first Pro Bowl selection) if Miami makes a run at the Super Bowl. But that will hinge on the fragile health of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, whose 2022 season was cut short by multiple scary concussions.
Chuba Hubbard, running back, Carolina Panthers
A former 2,000-yard rusher for Oklahoma State, the 2021 fourth-round pick spent much of his first two pro seasons as a backup to superstar Christian McCaffrey. Hubbard showed some juice as both a runner and pass-catcher when McCaffrey was hurt in 2021 and after the Pro Bowler was traded to San Francisco last year. But the Panthers still went out and signed former Eagle Miles Sanders to be their new feature back.
It's a transition year in Carolina, where No. 1 overall draft pick Bryce Young is taking over at quarterback with Frank Reich as the new head coach. If Sanders disappoints or gets injured (he's been known to do both), Hubbard will have a chance to show that he should be part of the team's future.
John Metchie III, receiver, Houston Texans
The NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award will almost certainly go to Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who's miraculously set to play in Buffalo's opener against the Jets on Monday night after nearly dying on the field from cardiac arrest eight months ago. But Metchie could be a candidate too after missing his entire rookie season after being diagnosed with leukemia.
Though he's only 23, Metchie is already no stranger to comebacks. He led perennial college power Alabama with 96 catches in 2021 before blowing out his knee in the SEC title game. Houston drafted him in the second round anyway, and now he'll finally get a chance to prove himself on a rebuilding team that's breaking in No. 2 overall pick C. J. Stroud at quarterback.
Josh Palmer, receiver, Los Angeles Chargers
Last season, the 2021 third-round choice was targeted 107 times (more than double his rookie-year total) as star wideouts Keenan Allen and Mike Williams missed time with injuries. Palmer converted those targets into a solid 72 catches for 769 yards and three touchdowns. But L.A. still picked Quentin Johnston in the first round in hopes of upgrading to a more explosive No. 3 receiver.
The Chargers always seem to fall short of expectations, but they have an MVP-calibre quarterback in Justin Herbert and a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. If new offensive co-ordinator Kellen Moore (formerly of the Cowboys) can unlock this team's enormous scoring potential, Palmer could find himself playing in a Super Bowl.
