Calgary Stampeders take receiver Alford with top pick of CFL draft

By Canadian Press on April 29, 2025.

TORONTO — The Calgary Stampeders selected receiver Damien Alford first overall in the CFL draft Tuesday night.

Alford, of Montreal, transferred to Utah after four seasons at Syracuse, where he had 67 catches for 1,291 yards.

Alford appeared in four games with Utah last season but the six-foot-five, 224-pound receiver has both size and speed (4.46-second 40-yard dash time).

He addresses a need for Calgary as Cole Tucker retired in the offseason.

The selection was the first of four Calgary had in the first 20 picks of the draft.

Calgary secured the first overall pick after finishing last in the CFL standings with a 5-12-1 record to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 29, 2025.

The Canadian Press