Five Golden Bears heard their names called on Tuesday night, as Mack Bannatyne (DB), Ty Anderson (DL), Chase Tataryn (LB), Kolby Hurford (REC), and Iwinosa Uwubanmwen (OL) were selected in the 2025 Canadian Football League Draft. 

It marks the largest draft class for the Golden Bears since they had seven selections in 1985. 

Bannatyne was the first Bear off the board, going 28th overall to Hamilton. Anderson joined Bannatyne in Hamilton, going 36th overall to the Tiger-Cats. The BC Lions took linebacker Chase Tataryn 50th overall, followed shortly by receiver Kolby Hurford going to the Edmonton Elks at pick 58. Left tackle Iwinosa Uwubanmwen was taken by Winnipeg with the second to last pick in the draft, 71st overall. 

A transfter from York, Bannatyne had an excellent second season for the Bears in 2024. The fourth-year defensive back finished third on the Golden Bears with 37 tackles, and led Canada West in fumble recoveries. He was named a Canada West All-Star and second team U SPORTS All-Canadian. 

Anderson earned his first All-Star selection in 2024, finishing with 21 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss. The Calgary native played five games at defensive tackle for the Bears in the fall, before moving to nose tackle for the final three games. 

Tataryn led Canada West with 54.5 total tackles in 2024. The 5-11, 220 pound linebacker also added a conference-best 4.5 sacks, to go along with 8.5 tackles for loss and one fumble recovery. 

Just the second Bears receiver selected in the last seven years, Hurford was taken by the home-town Elks in the seventh round. The speed threat finished second on the Bears with 24 receptions last season, adding 337 yards. His best season came in 2022, when he finished third in Canada West with 560 yards to go along with a conference-best seven receiving touchdowns. 

With the second to last pick in the draft, Winnipeg took Uwubanmwen. The 6-4, 290 pound offensive lineman started the season as the Bears left tackle, before hurting his knee in the season-opener at UBC. 

CFL rookie camps being on May 7th, with full training camps getting underway on May 11th. The 2025 CFL season will kickoff on June 5th. 

Golden Bears/CFL Draft - By the Numbers

Largest Alberta Draft Classes

* - Since 1985
7 – 1985
5 – 2025
4 – 1996, 2022, 2024
3 – 1986, 1993, 2023
2 – 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1995, 2005, 2009, 2017, 2018

Golden Bears by drafted CFL Franchise

* - Since 1963
Edmonton – 75
Saskatchewan – 23
Calgary – 21
Montreal – 13
BC – 13
Winnipeg – 10
Hamilton – 10
Ottawa – 7
Toronto – 3

Recent Golden Bears football draft history

YEAR	ROUND	OVERALL	TEAM	NAME	POS
2018	1	4	Ottawa	Mark Korte	OL
2018	5	39	Calgary	Justin Lawrence	OL
2019	5	42	BC	Jon Harke	OL
2020	3	22	Montreal	Carter O'Donnell	OL
2021	1	5	Edmonton	Cole Nelson	DL
2022	2	14	Calgary	Josiah Schakel	LB
2022	2	18	Montreal	Rodeem Brown	OL
2022	6	51	Montreal	Peter Kozushka	OL
2022	6	54	Saskatchewan	Jayden Dalke	DB
2023	2	19	Edmonton	Jake Taylor	LB
2023	3	22	Calgary	Kwadwo Boahen	DL
2023	7	62	Winnipeg	Jonathan Rosery	REC
2024	3	27	Toronto	Tyshon Blackburn	DB
2024	4	36	Hamilton	Matthew Peterson	RB
2024	6	52	Hamilton	Jonathan Giustini	DB/K
2024	8	72	Toronto	Daniel Shin	OL
2025	3	28	Hamilton	Mack Bannatyne	DB
2025	4	36	Hamilton	Ty Anderson	DL
2025	6	50	BC	Chase Tataryn	LB
2025	7	58	Edmonton	Kolby Hurford	REC
2025	8	71	Winnipeg	Iwinosa Uwubanmwen	OL