Alouettes take Tyrell Richards with No. 1 pick in CFL draft

The Montreal Alouettes selected Syracuse linebacker Tyrell Richards with the first overall pick in the 2022 CFL Draft.

Montreal acquired the pick by trading the fourth overall selection and the rights to offensive lineman Carter O'Donnell to the Edmonton Elks.

"We are extremely happy to have moved up for tonight's draft," general manager Danny Maciocia said. "We will select a high-quality player without having to pay the big price."

The native of Brampton, Ontario, ranked third on the CFL's final scouting bureau list, behind wide receiver John Metchie and linebacker Jesse Luketa. Both Metchie (Houston Texans) and Luketa (Arizona Cardinals) were taken in the 2022 NFL Draft last weekend.

The 6-foot-3, 232-pound defender racked up 24 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks over eight games during the 2020 season. Richards finished his Syracuse career with 54 tackles (9.5 for a loss) and six sacks in 31 games.

Richards spent last year training and coaching his former high school after considering several options following his transfer from Syracuse.

Despite not playing a game in 2021, Richards impressed evaluators with his testing numbers at the CFL combine in March. He posted a 37-inch vertical jump, 19 reps on the bench press, and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.60 seconds.

The Alouettes doubled down on Syracuse defenders on Tuesday, also selecting defensive lineman Kingsley Jonathan with the first pick in the CFL Global Draft earlier in the day.