Canadian offensive lineman Giordano Vaccaro poses in this undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout — Levi Blustein, CFL.ca (Mandatory Credit)

By The Canadian Press

Purdue offensive lineman Giordano Vaccaro keeping open mind for CFL draft

Mar 27, 2026 | 4:00 AM

The heavy lifting is done but the job certainly isn’t finished for Giordano Vaccaro.

The six-foot-two, 307-pound offensive lineman won’t test at the CFL combine, which begins Friday in Edmonton, after participating in Purdue’s pro day March 4. But the Winnipeg native is in Alberta for interviews with league scouts, coaches and front-office personnel.

“I don’t think anything is really over,” Vaccaro said. “I’m still training each and every day trying to be the best version of myself and preparing for a potential opportunity with a team.

“As for the interviews, I’m just going to go out there and be myself. I’m ready. I’m excited.”

Vaccaro has a definite image he wants to project to CFL officials in each sit-down.

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“I hope they see a hard-working guy, a humble individual,” he said. “Someone who’s ready to go play for an organization and give it his all.”

Vaccaro appeared in all 12 of Purdue’s games in 2025, seeing action on offence and special teams. He played 22 snaps in the Boilermakers’ season finale, a 56-3 loss to eventual NCAA champion Indiana on Nov. 28.

“Proving to myself mentally that last game that I could play at this level was a good step for me,” Vaccaro said. “Every day I wanted to show up and be the best version of myself.

“I think the biggest thing I learned (at Purdue) was to trust yourself, trust your training and trust the process. Wherever life takes you, wherever football takes you, just go with it.”

Vaccaro transferred to Purdue after spending the first three years of his collegiate career at Manitoba. In 2024, he captured the J.P. Metras Trophy as Canadian university football’s best down lineman and was named a first-team all-Canadian as a left guard.

He helped the Bisons rush for a school-record 2,016 yards that also was tops in U Sports. Vaccaro cracked Manitoba’s starting lineup at left tackle as an 18-year-old freshman, and in 2023 was a Canada West all-star and first team all-Canadian at left guard.

Vacarro began playing football at Winnipeg’s St. Paul’s High School. He transferred to Clearwater Academy International in Florida for his senior season when the global pandemic forced the cancellation of football at the Manitoba institution.

But it wasn’t until he got to the University of Manitoba that Vaccaro began entertaining the possibility of a pro football career. He credits veterans Geoff Gray (NFL stints with Green Bay, Cleveland and the New York Jets, 2018-19 and 2021-23 with Winnipeg Blue Bombers) and Zach Williams (2019, 2021-present, Calgary Stampeders) with setting the standard for Bisons offensive linemen.

“I’d say where that switch really turned on was my freshman year at the U of M,” he said. “Just watching (Gray and Williams) play and then get drafted made me think maybe I could do something (with) this football career.”

Vaccaro certainly didn’t hurt his ’26 CFL draft stock at Purdue’s pro day.

He posted 28 reps in the 225-pound bench press, covered the 40-yard dash in 5.38 seconds and recorded a 29-inch vertical jump and eight-feet eight-inch broad jump. He ran the short shuttle in 4.83 seconds and three-cone drill in 7.94 seconds.

“I wouldn’t say I’m happy, I’m more satisfied,” he said of his pro day results. “I’d love to do better on my 40, I had a figure in my head … and I feel like I wanted to touch 30 on the bench press.

“Like I said, I’m satisfied with where I’m at, But there’s always room for improvement with my pro day, for sure.”

Vaccaro is on the radar of all nine CFL teams, as he was ranked No. 19 on the scouting bureau’s winter list of the top-20 prospects for the April 28 draft. Ideally, returning to Manitoba with the Blue Bombers would be nice but Vaccaro is keeping an open mind regarding where he might end up.

“I’m really open to any opportunity,” he said. “Honestly, I’m looking for a team that wants me, can coach me and is one I can give my all to every day.

“But I don’t like to look too far into the future. I don’t know what the future holds so I really just focus on the day and winning it each and every one.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 27, 2026.

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press