Offensive lineman Giordano Vaccaro made history on Tuesday night. His No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 CFL Canadian Draft by Ottawa marked the first time ever in 63 years that a Bison was the first pick off the board. Previously, the highest a Manitoba player had ever been taken was No. 2 in 1985 (Randy Ambrosie, OL, Calgary), as well as in 1967 (Dick Kohler, K, BC).

"It means a lot," said Vaccaro, who was surrounded by over 250 friends and family at the Caboto Centre in Winnipeg for the historic event.

"To me, it didn't really matter where I went, but I'm really excited that I got to go to Ottawa. They were really high on where I wanted to get drafted to. I'm super excited with where I ended up. It's a great coaching staff there. If I look back on my 18-year-old self going into the Bisons as an 18-year-old left tackle, I wouldn't believe I would be here now for sure. A lot of thanks goes out to all the coaches who have been a part of my journey, coach [Brian] Dobie, coach Stacy [Dainard], Recruit Ready. I'm really grateful."

Vaccaro -- the first Bison selected in the first round since offensive lineman Geoff Gray in 2017 -- made an instant impact with the Herd in 2022. The Winnipeg native became the first Bison in head coach Brian Dobie's 29-year tenure to start at left tackle as an 18-year-old true freshman, helping the Herd rush for 143.8 yards per game (second in Canada West).

Over the following two campaigns, the St. Paul's grad staked his claim as one of the best offensive linemen in the nation. He started every game at guard in 2023 and 2024, where he was a unanimous all-star selection, becoming the first Bison offensive lineman to earn back-to-back Canada West All-Star and First Team All-Canadian nods since Chris Bochen in 2001 and 2002.

Overall in his three seasons with Manitoba, Vaccaro didn't miss a start, playing in 29 consecutive games. He further cemented his legacy as one of the program's best linemen in 2024, when he was named the JP Metras Award winner. In doing so, Vaccaro became just the second offensive lineman in school history to earn the award, and first since Bart Evans in 1974. It was a record-breaking year on the offensive line for Vaccaro and company, helping the Herd set a school record, with 2,016 rushing yards, which also led the nation. That total broke a 29-year school best by 168 yards. 

Following the 2024 season, Vaccaro -- who plied his trade over the years with premier Winnipeg-based football program Recruit Ready -- made the difficult decision to transfer to the NCAA. He accepted a scholarship to play at the Division 1 level with the Purdue Boilermakers in 2025, a Power Four program in the Big Ten Conference. Vaccaro saw action in Purdue's season-ending matchup against Indiana, the eventual NCAA National Champions. 

Vaccaro skyrocketed up CFL Draft boards following the collegiate football season, thanks to incredible testing numbers and a phenomenal attitude that wowed scouts. The former hockey player (13 years as a centre) put up 28 reps of 225 pounds at Purdue's Pro Day in March, while testing well all across the board. During the interview period of the CFL National Combine, the REDBLACKS and countless other teams spoke extremely highly of him. 

"It is an amazing accomplishment to be selected first overall in the CFL Draft. Our program is extremely proud of what Gio has accomplished. He has made an indelible mark on our program," said Bisons football head coach Stan Pierre. "His selection is historic, becoming the first Bison chosen with the first pick. We are all very excited to see where his career takes him next."