Ottawa football fans are no strangers to the highs and lows of CFL roster building — and a fresh opinion piece from 3DownNation has the league buzzing by arguing that the Winnipeg Blue Bombers' 2019 draft class stands as the greatest in CFL history.
The Claim That's Got CFL Twitter Talking
The piece makes a bold case: that Winnipeg's 2019 draft haul — which contributed heavily to back-to-back Grey Cup championships in 2019 and 2021 — set a standard no other CFL franchise has matched in the modern era. Names like defensive standouts and offensive linemen drafted that year became cornerstones of a dynasty that Ottawa RedBlacks fans had to watch dominate from the sidelines.
It's the kind of argument that's fun to debate over a Lansdowne pint.
What It Means for the RedBlacks Conversation
For Ottawa supporters, the piece lands at an interesting moment. The RedBlacks have been rebuilding their roster and identity after some turbulent seasons, and draft strategy is front and center in those conversations. Ottawa has had its own memorable draft moments — the 2014–2016 era that set up the franchise's first Grey Cup win in 2016 is often cited by fans as a turning point — but consistency in drafting has been harder to sustain.
If Winnipeg's 2019 class truly is the gold standard, it raises a fair question: what would it take for Ottawa to assemble something similar? The RedBlacks' front office has been focused on rebuilding the trenches, and drafting well in the offensive and defensive line remains the clearest path to competing for a Grey Cup.
Draft Culture in the CFL
Unlike the NFL, the CFL draft doesn't carry the same massive media attention — but it matters just as much to franchise-building. Canadian content rules mean teams must develop homegrown talent, and a single draft class can shift a team's trajectory for years.
Winnipeg's ability to nail multiple picks in 2019 and integrate them quickly is exactly the kind of organizational discipline Ottawa fans have been hoping to see from the RedBlacks. The team has shown flashes of it, but building a sustained contender requires that kind of depth.
Looking Ahead to Ottawa's 2026 Season
With the 2026 CFL season on the horizon, Ottawa fans are cautiously optimistic. New additions, a developing quarterback situation, and a coaching staff focused on culture are promising signs. Whether the RedBlacks can build their own version of a landmark draft class — one that future pundits might debate as all-time great — remains to be seen.
But debates like this one about Winnipeg's 2019 class are exactly the kind of CFL conversation that keeps fans engaged through the offseason. And in Ottawa, where football loyalty runs deep even through rebuilding years, that's never a bad thing.
Source: 3DownNation via Google News RedBlacks RSS feed.
