The evolution of Canadian quarterbacks is about to hit another milestone with the arrival of this week’s National Football League draft.

For the first time ever, two quarterbacks born and raised in this country are expected to either be drafted or signed as priority free agents by NFL teams over the weekend.

The kinds of opportunities that await Kurtis Rourke and Taylor Elgersma in the U.S. will go a long way to determining where they will be selected in next week’s Canadian Football League draft.

This is a common quandary for CFL general managers, who are always seeking the best players not likely to wind up in the NFL. But since the last Canadian-raised quarterback to get serious consideration from was Jesse Palmer, a fourth-round selection in the 2001 NFL Draft, it’s never been something CFL teams have had to spend much time worrying about.

Beyond Palmer, the most any Canadian quarterback of this era has garnered from the NFL has been a mini-camp invite, followed by a ticket home.

But Rourke and Elgersma have both met with nearly every NFL team over the past few months, participating in the annual job interview fair that includes various college all-star games, showcases, and pro days.

And while their respective draft stocks may not be all that different heading into this weekend, they’ve taken very different paths to get here.

Rourke was the top-rated high school player in Canada in 2018, but his only NCAA Division I offer came from Ohio University, the same school where his brother, Nathan, had been a record-setting quarterback.

The family connection........

© TSN