MISSOULA — A pair of former Grizzlies are getting opportunities to continue their football careers north of the border in the Canadian Football League after being selected in the CFL draft on Tuesday night.
Wide receiver and North Vancouver, B.C., native Keelan White was selected as the No. 3 overall pick in the first round by the Ottawa Redblacks after being touted as one of the top prospects in the draft over the last eight months.
Defensive end Hayden Harris was also selected by the BC Lions with the 11th pick in the second round of the draft. Harris, a Seattle native with dual Canadian citizenship through his mom, also signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Buffalo Bills shortly after the NFL draft on Sunday. Both options will be available for him to choose from.
White is now the first Grizzly since Lief Thorsen in 2001 to be selected in the opening round of the CFL Draft. As two of the rare Canadian citizens playing in the NCAA, he and Harris are also just the third and fourth Grizzlies to ever earn their way into the league via the CFL Draft.
A former walk-on at Montana, White went on to be a staple of the Grizzly offense with 41 starts and an incredible 57 appearances during his time in maroon and silver. The sure-handed pass catcher totaled 161 career catches for 1,862 yards and 14 touchdowns at UM, all marks that will live on in the team's top 25 lists for years to come.
“Growing up as a kid in Canada, you always think, ‘I can't wait to play in the CFL one day,’ especially as a young football player. So, to have that become a reality is just it's amazing. My 5-year-old self is probably screaming with joy right now,” said White.
He celebrated his selection at a CFL draft watch party in Missoula surrounded by family, friends, teammates and coaches. Usually, draftees find out they’re being selected with a phone call from the team’s staff before the pick is broadcast to the world. White never got that call from Ottawa.
“It was surprising because I knew it was either going to be Ottawa at three or Montreal at five, and when the commissioner was getting ready to announce the pick and I didn't get a call, I was like, okay, I guess it's not Ottawa. And then they said my name. So, I was just super shocked, but super excited. I got picked, and I'm just ready to get going,” White added.
Harris will now have two opportunities to play professional football after signing an UDFA contract with the Bills soon after the NFL Draft concluded. BC Lions GM Ryan Rigmaiden told Harris in a call that was posted to the Lions’ social media that the door is open for him in Canada to pursue both opportunities.
“You were the number one player on our board. We want to win up front, and this is an absolutely awesome thing. We’re excited for you with the NFL, but if that falls through at some point we’re going to be here and we’re going to be happy about it,” said Rigmaiden.
Montana has built heavily on its rich history with the CFL in recent years, with three other Grizzlies now signed to play north of the border next season. Offensive lineman Chris Walker signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and linebacker Braxton Hill signed with the Saskatchewan Rough Riders in the fall. 2023's Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year Alex Gubner also signed with Saskatchewan.
Grizzly great Dave Dickenson is currently the head coach and G.M. of the Calgary Stampeders. His brother, and former UM player and coach Craig Dickenson is the special teams coordinator at Calgary as well.
White rose to No. 5 on the CFL Scouting Bureau's winter top 20 after slotting in at No. 10 on the same list in August and was one of only two FCS players on the list (along with Harris) and one of just 11 players from NCAA member institutions. He also received an honorable mention for the 2024 Jon Cornish Trophy in December, given annually to the most outstanding Canadian student-athlete in NCAA football.
A former walk-on, White made 41 starts and 57 appearances at UM. In his senior season he led UM in receptions (57), reception yards (628) and touchdown receptions (four). He averaged just over 11 yards per catch and 48 yards per game, placing him among the Big Sky's 15 best receivers in 2024.
He capped his career with 161 catches (No. 11 in program history) for 1,862 yards (No. 21 in program history). His 14 touchdown catches are a Grizzly top 25 as well. He also holds the school record for the longest play from scrimmage, hauling in a 97-yard touchdown catch against Sacramento State as a junior.
He was Montana's offensive MVP in 2023 and capped his senior year at UM with another team-high performance at just over 11 yards per catch and 48 yards per game – landing him among the Big Sky's 15 best receivers in 2024 and second-team all-conference honors.
White showed his strength at UM’s Pro Day with a personal best 12 reps on the bench press, a figure that would have been top eight at the NFL Combine among receivers. More impressively, his shuttle time of 4.10 would have also been third best at his position and his 3-cone speed of 6.78 would have been tied for fourth.
Harris developed into the Big Sky's biggest disruptors on the defensive front in 2024 after just two seasons at UM, leading the league in forced fumbles with three, finishing second in the league with two fumble recoveries, and third in the league in sacks and tackles for loss to earn second-team all-conference honors.
He finished his career at UM with 21.5 TFLs to tie him at No. 28 all-time in program history in that category. His 21.5 TFLs were responsible for 126 lost yards for opposing offenses, and his total of 84 tackles made one in every 4 of his stops a TFL.
He earned second-team all-conference honors and was named both the team's Defensive MVP and the recipient of the Sims-Miller Award for outstanding D-lineman following a stellar senior season.
Harris was named to the Canadian Football League Scouting Bureau's top 20 Canadians eligible for the 2025 CFL Draft, ranked at No. 9. He was born in Seattle but his mother hails from Regina, Saskatchewan.
He trained for Pro Day in Annapolis, Maryland, at the U. S. Naval Academy and was also invited to attend a Seahawks Pro Day in Seattle. Also a star in the classroom, Harris was an CSC Academic All-American and All-District teams as a senior and earned Academic All-Big Sky honors as well.
Harris also had a standout UM Pro Day among D-Ends with his shuttle speed of 4.51, which would have been a top six mark at the NFL Combine.
