Due toU Sports cancelling all play in2020, 132 eligible2021 draftees exercised their right to defer their draft years to this year's draft.[5][6] However, the league also permitted NCAAredshirt juniors to be selected in the 2021 draft to balance out the influx of players to this year's draft.[7]
Note: Dontae Bull, Sidy Sow, Sydney Brown, Tavius Robinson, Jonathan Sutherland, and Lwal Uguak deferred their draft years to 2023 in order to return for their senior years at school.[9]
On May 5, two days after the draft, a supplemental draft was held, with the Edmonton Elks and Calgary Stampeders both forfeiting second round picks in the2023 CFL Draft to selectJ-Min Pelley andT. J. Rayam, respectively.[11][12]
Edmonton ←→ Montreal (PD). Edmonton traded the first overall selection in this draft to Montreal in exchange for the fourth overall selection in this draft and the playing rights forCarter O'Donnell.[trade 1]
Hamilton → Edmonton (PD).Hamilton traded the eighth overall selection in this draft, the 28th overall selection in this draft, and the ninth overall selection in the2022 CFL global draft to Edmonton in exchange forKyle Saxelid,Grant McDonald, and the second overall selection in the2022 CFL global draft.[trade 2]
Winnipeg → Montreal (PD). Winnipeg traded the ninth overall selection in this draft and the 18th overall selection in this draft to Montreal in exchange forCameron Lawson and the 13th overall selection in this draft.[trade 3]
Edmonton → Toronto (PD).Edmonton traded this selection and the rights to a negotiation list player (Chad Kelly) to Toronto in exchange forNick Arbuckle.[trade 6] The selection would have been a third-round pick, but it was upgraded to a second-round pick when Arbuckle re-signed with theEdmonton Elks through the 2022 season.[trade 4]
Winnipeg ←→ Montreal (PD). Winnipeg traded the 18th overall selection in this draft and the ninth overall selection in this draft to Montreal in exchange forCameron Lawson and the 13th overall selection in this draft.[trade 3]
Winnipeg → BC (PD). Winnipeg traded a conditional fourth-round selection to BC in exchange forSergio Castillo.[trade 5] This selection was upgraded to a third-round pick and confirmed upon the release of the draft order.
Hamilton → Edmonton (PD).Hamilton traded the 28th overall selection in this draft, the eighth overall selection in this draft, and the ninth overall selection in the2022 CFL global draft to Edmonton in exchange forKyle Saxelid,Grant McDonald, and the second overall selection in the2022 CFL global draft.[trade 2]
