U Sports draft to be held in January

The Canadian Premier League will hold its annual U Sports draft in January.

The draft allows Canadian university men's soccer players from coast-to-coast to have an opportunity to earn a spot on a CPL club. An exact date for the draft was not announced.

The previous two drafts were held in November following the conclusion of the U Sports men's soccer championships. The 2020 national tournament — like all 2020-21 U Sports fall and winter championships — was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

In the absence of a varsity campaign this fall, the CPL'S football development scouting division put together an amended plan to accommodate required changes, including delaying the draft to provide additional time for a video recruitment process.

The draft will consist of two rounds of eight picks each. All 16 draftees will be invited to their club's pre-season training with the hopes of securing a 2021 U Sports developmental contract for the upcoming season. The CPL-U Sports partnership allows a student-athlete with university eligibility remaining to sign with a CPL club while preserving their eligibility before returning to U Sports competition.

The HFX Wanderers selected former Cape Breton Capers star Cory Bent with the first overall pick in the 2019 CPL-U Sports draft. Bent's CBU teammate Peter Schaale was picked fifth overall by the Wanderers in 2018 draft.

In preparation for the draft in January, the CPL'S football development department, with input from U Sports coaches, have been tracking and scouting players to establish a prospects list. CPL coaches will have access to player profiles and video footage to assist them in preparing for the draft.