Pair of U of R Rams to represent at CFL Combine

A pair of University of Regina Rams will look to showcase their talents to CFL scouts this week.

Carson Sombach and Ethan Graham received invites to the national CFL Scouting Combine in Edmonton from March 27-29.

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The combine allows many of the top prospects for the CFL Draft to participate in a number of drills in front of coaches, scouts and general managers as they try to make their case for teams to select them to join their teams.

“It’s really cool. It’s coming up quick with all the preparation just coming to a close,” Sombach said. “It’s time to finally do the thing.”

Graham, a 6-foot-7, 315-pound offensive lineman, said it’s going to be a great experience.

“It’s a dream come true, even just to compete with the best of the best,” Graham said. “I’ve been working really hard and I’m excited to go out and show these teams what we can do.”

Sombach, a safety with the Rams, was supposed to originally go to the invitational combine, where players can earn an invite to the main combine with a good performance. But while Sombach was out playing indoor golf with some friends, Rams head coach, Mark McConkey, called him to let him know to check his email.

“I was pretty excited to get that invite around all my friends and it was really awesome to be recognized for how much effort I have put in with the Rams,” Sombach said.

When it comes to what to expect at the combine, he has a great resource to turn to. Sombach’s older brother, Jackson, participated in the 2024 CFL Combine. After his performance there, he was selected by the Calgary Stampeders in the seventh round (60th overall). After going back to school that season, Sombach joined the Stampeders for the 2025 season, appearing in 11 games for the team.

University of Regina Rams offensive lineman Ethan Graham is looking to impress scouts at the CFL Combine. (Piper Sports Photography)

“He’s told me a lot. He has helped me give an idea about what kind of questions they will ask me in the interview process, what the days look like and how long they can be and how to stay prepared for that,” Sombach shared. “Just getting an inside look at what the whole thing is going to be is super nice and super helpful that a lot of people don’t have.”

Sombach comes from a football family, with his dad coaching in Regina and his two younger brothers, Rylar and Connor, currently his teammates on the Rams.

“I was always into football. My dad coached the Miller Marauders when I was really little and I remember going to practices and being the rabbit in pursuit drills and stuff like that,” Sombach said. “I’ve always had a passion for football and started playing flag and touch football as early as I could and as soon as I was old enough to tackle, I started doing that.”

Graham was more interested in basketball than football, but was cut in his Grade 9 year. It was after that when he shifted his focus from the court to the field.

“It was where I started to fall in love with football, starting with the grind every day and trying to make that work,” Graham said. “If you asked me in Grade 9, I would have been mad, but it’s a blessing in disguise that I got cut. Now, I’m right on the doorstep of the CFL.”

Sombach admitted it’s hard to imagine he could soon have his name called by a CFL team.

“I’ve been here for so long so it’s kind of surreal that’s coming up. It’s really exciting to have the possibility to do that,” Sombach said.

“It’s something that when you’re in elementary school and all the teachers ask what you want to be when you grow up, you always write professional football player. It’s cool all those dreams and aspirations you had before you even started playing could possibly come true.”

The CFL Draft takes place on April 28.