The Calgary Stampeders selected former Utah and Syracuse wide receiver Damien Alford with the first overall pick in the 2025 CFL Draft.

The Montreal native spent the 2024 season with the Utes after playing his first four collegiate seasons with the Orange.

Alford was rated the seventh-best prospect in the spring CFL Scouting Bureau rankings.

He also accepted an invitation to attend the Kansas City Chiefs' rookie minicamp this summer and turned down offers from other NFL teams, sources told 3DownNation's Justin Dunk.

The 6-foot-5, 224-pound wideout ran a blazing 4.46 40-yard dash at this year's Big 12 pro day. He didn't participate in the CFL combine.

Alford recorded 67 receptions for 1,291 yards and seven touchdowns during his time at Syracuse. He failed to record a catch in 2024 after transferring to Utah. The 23-year-old originally planned to transfer to Florida Atlantic for the 2025 season before re-entering the CFL draft.

Stampeders head coach Dave Dickenson said the team is trying to surround new quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. "with as many weapons as possible," according to TSN's Salim Valji.

"Vernon loves big receivers," Dickenson added.

Alford joins a receiving corps that features Reggie Begelton, Jalen Philpot, and Dominique Rhymes, among others.

Calgary last had the top pick in the 2014 draft.