One of Canada's best pass rushers in college football is turning pro a year earlier than expected.
Wake Forest defensive end Nuer Gatkuoth has declared for the 2026 NFL Draft. Doing so is expected to make him an automatic entry into the 2026 CFL Draft.
The Edmonton, Alta., native said in a statement that it was not his intention to make the claim, but that “due to NCAA eligibility issues, my college career has unfortunately come to an end.” It's unclear what those eligibility issues are, as Gatkuot was listed as a redshirt junior last season and has only played three years in the collegiate game. However, Connor O'Neill from On3 reported that loss of eligibility may be due to a season played at Georgia Champions Prep Academy prior to entering college.
— Nuer Gatkuot (@justnuer) January 1, 2026
Gatkuoth played a crucial role in the activities of the Demon Deacons in 2025 and was named one of five finalists for the John Cornish Trophy as Canada's best NCAA football player. In 11 games played, he made 37 tackles, eight tackles for loss, six sacks, one forced fumble and an interception.
The six-foot-three, 237-pound cornerback transferred to Wake Forest after starting his collegiate career at Colorado State. He redshirted in 2022 and then played 17 games over the next two seasons, collecting a total of 68 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, three pass breakups and an interception. He was named a 2023 first-team Freshman All-American by The Athletic.
Gatkuot attended Austin O'Brien High School in Edmonton before moving to Ontario to play for Toronto West before moving south. He received offers from Western Kentucky and Illinois State out of high school before choosing Colorado State.
Wake Forest (8-4) will face Mississippi State (5-7) in the Duke's Mayo Bowl on Friday, January 2 at 8:00 pm EST. In his announcement, Gatkuoth did not specify whether he would play in the game.
