The Western Mustangs were once again one of the top teams in Canadian university football this past season.
The 2023 CFL Draft reflected that.
Four members of the current Western roster and one former Mustang were selected over the eight rounds of the draft held on May 2.
That was the highest number of picks coming from Western since 2018, when six Mustangs were chosen.
Offensive lineman Phillip Grohovac was the first member of the purple and white to hear his name called.
The six-foot-five-inch and 305-pound All-Canadian guard went 20th overall to the Edmonton Elks.
Grohovac is from British Columbia but told 3downnation.com that, “The culture was so good (at Western) it was something I couldn’t say no to.”
The Toronto Argonauts selected fullback Spencer Nichols in the fourth round at pick number 36.
Nichols grew up playing offensive line and uses all of the knowledge from that experience as a great blocker but he can also make plays when called upon. He is a graduate of London South Collegiate Institute.
The next Western name called was also a graduate of South. Robert Panabaker is now a draft pick of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats after Hamilton selected him with the fourth pick in the fifth round. Panabaker has done a whole lot of winning in his football career. He was part of an OFSAA Bowl championship with South and an OFL title while playing with the London Jr. Mustangs.
Panabaker, Nichols and Grohovac all won a Vanier Cup together with Western in 2021 along with defensive back Brendan Murphy, who was the fourth current Mustang player selected.
Murphy started his U Sports career with the Guelph Gryphons before transferring to Western.
The Argos picked Murphy in the seventh round.
The final Mustang connection in the draft was running back Derek Best, who went in the eighth round to the Elks.
Best played at Western in 2019. He is from British Columbia and has also spent time with the Langley Rams.