The following is a complete list of first-round draft picks selected by the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Ottawa participated in the first Canadian college draft in 1953 when only eastern teams were permitted to make selections. From 1960-1962, only eastern teams and the Calgary Stampeders participated in the draft as the other western clubs signed players from universities in their area. This list also includes all territorial exemptions from 1973, when teams were first permitted to selected players within their designated area, until 1985 when these exemptions were abolished.
As defined in the 2016 CFL's Facts, Figures, and Records and the 2023 CFL Guide & Record Book, for historical record purposes and by the current Ottawa Redblacks' request, the Ottawa Football Clubs are considered to be a single entity since 1876 with two periods of inactivity (1997–2001 and 2006–2013). Consequently, this list includes figures from the Ottawa Football Club (1876–1898), Ottawa Rough Riders (1899–1919, 1931–1996), Ottawa Senators (1920–1930), Ottawa Renegades (2002–2005), and Ottawa Redblacks (2014–present). After being scheduled to re-enter the league in 2014, the Ottawa Redblacks participated in the 2013 CFL draft where they were only eligible to select NCAA redshirt juniors. Thereafter, starting with their first season in 2014, they were able to select any draft-eligible player in the CFL draft.
Ottawa has had the first overall selection in the draft 10 times since its inception in 1953. Since 1953, the club has lost their first round pick six times due to trades. Not including territorial exemptions, the most first-round picks Ottawa has had in one year is four, which occurred in the 1968 CFL draft.
Player selections = CFL Division All-Star= CFL All-Star= Hall of Famer
YearPickPlayer namePositionCollegeNotes 1952 4 Halfback Toronto 1953 2 Tackle Toronto 1954 2 Halfback McGill 1955 1 Halfback Western Ontario 1956 1 End Queen's 1957 3 Guard Queen's 1958 6 Halfback McMaster 1959 4 Placekicker/Halfback Queen's 1960 4 Halfback Toronto 1961 5 Halfback Toronto 1962 4 Guard McGill 1963 4 Halfback Mount Allison 1963 5 Halfback Queen's 1963 6 Guard Queen's 1964 6 Fullback Western Ontario 1965 6 Centre Mount Allison 1966 6 Defensive back Toronto 1967 8 Halfback Waterloo 1968 2 Halfback St. Francis Xavier 1968 6 Linebacker Saint Mary's 1968 7 Guard Toronto 1968 9 Centre Bishop's 1969 9 Quarterback St. Dunstan's 1970 9 Quarterback Carleton 1971 2 Linebacker Carleton 1972 - No pick - - Traded to Hamilton 1973 Ex Tackle Purdue 1973 - No pick - - Traded to Edmonton 1974 Ex Defensive back Western Ontario 1974 Ex Tackle North Carolina 1974 8 Defensive back Queen's 1974 9 Defensive lineman Otterbein 1975 Ex Quarterback Carleton 1975 Ex Defensive tackle Utah State 1975 7 Linebacker Acadia 1976 Ex Wide receiver Ottawa 1976 Ex Tailback Richmond 1976 4 Defensive back Simon Fraser 1976 6 Wide receiver York 1977 Ex Tailback Ottawa 1977 Ex Guard Richmond 1977 Ex Wide receiver Princeton 1977 Ex Tackle Simon Fraser 1977 1 Defensive tackle Dalhousie Acquired from Calgary 1977 9 Defensive back Waterloo 1978 Ex Tackle Queen's 1978 Ex Wide receiver Windsor 1978 7 Tailback Iowa Central 1979 Ex Tackle Carleton 1979 Ex Defensive back Carleton 1979 6 Linebacker Montana 1980 Ex Slotback Carleton 1980 Ex Cornerback Richmond 1980 6 Centre North Dakota State 1981 Ex Tight end Bowling Green 1981 Ex Tight end Richmond 1981 3 Running back Toronto 1982 Ex Defensive tackle Richmond 1982 Ex Guard/Defensive tackle Carleton 1982 Ex Defensive back McGill 1982 - No pick - - Traded to BC 1983 Ex Tackle Boston College 1983 Ex Tight end Guelph Acquired from Montreal 1983 2 Linebacker British Columbia 1984 Ex Defensive tackle Boise State 1984 Ex Offensive lineman Carleton Acquired from Montreal 1984 4 Defensive back Toronto 1985 1 Offensive lineman Concordia 1986 4 Tackle Queen's 1987 1 Offensive lineman British Columbia 1988 1 Running back Simon Fraser 1989 1 Slotback Weber State 1990 - No pick - - Traded to Edmonton 1991 7 Tackle Boston 1992 3 Guard Purdue 1993 3 Defensive tackle Tennessee 1994 5 Defensive end Saint Mary's 1994 7 Linebacker Idaho State 1995 2 Linebacker Boise State 1996 - No pick - - Traded to Edmonton 2002 1 Offensive lineman Laval 2002 2 Running back Simon Fraser 2003 - No pick - - Traded to Edmonton 2004 2 Offensive lineman Simon Fraser 2004 3 Wide receiver Ottawa 2005 2 Linebacker Akron 2013 9 Offensive lineman Iowa 2014 4 Defensive back Montreal Acquired from Montreal 2015 1 Offensive lineman Connecticut 2016 7 Offensive lineman Laval 2017 9 Offensive lineman Saskatchewan 2018 4 Offensive lineman Alberta 2019 7 Offensive lineman Kansas 2020 6 Defensive back Laval Acquired from Calgary 2021 6 Linebacker Maine 2022 2 Offensive lineman Ottawa 2023 1 Offensive lineman Fresno State 2024 2 Wide receiver Auburn 2025 3 Wide receiver Montana 2026 1 Offensive lineman Purdue
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