Many NFL teams now have their rookie minicamps underway. This gives fans and teams a chance to see the newly drafted players — it also allows everyone to get a glimpse of some generally lesser-known players, such as the undrafted rookie free agents.
The Green Bay Packers have welcomed numerous undrafted players to try out for the team, and one of them was Canadian quarterback Taylor Elgersma.
Who Is Canadian Quarterback Taylor Elgersma?
Elgersma grew up in London, Canada, where he attended Oakridge Secondary School in Ontario. He played both ice hockey for the London Junior Knights and football for Oakridge.
He committed to playing football for U Sports football (the governing body for university sports in Canada), attending Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario.
Elgersma could not play in 2020 because the season was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions. In 2021, he served as the backup and played in just five games during the shortened season.
In 2022, Elgersma was named the Golden Hawks’ starting quarterback. He started in eight regular-season and two postseason games. He completed 178 passes for 2,141 yards, 15 touchdowns, and nine interceptions.
The Golden Hawks made the postseason, and Elgersma won his first playoff start. They struggled in the semifinal game. Elgersma could not find his rhythm, and the team lost 45-9.
In 2023, Elgersma was his country’s leading college quarterback. He completed 206 passes for 2,641 yards, 18 touchdowns, and only four interceptions. In that postseason, he won two games, but the team once again lost to the Western Mustangs.
The 2024 season was perfect for Elgersma and the Hawks. They went 8-0 and made the postseason. This time, they beat the Mustangs in the playoffs, and Elgersma was named the team’s MVP.
He helped his team make it to the Vanier Cup for the first time since 2005. However, they lost 22-17, but he won the Hec Crighton Trophy for the most outstanding player in U Sports football. He was also a first-team All-Canadian for the season.
Elgersma’s NFL Journey
After his successful 2024 season, Elgersma qualified for the 2025 CFL draft and was invited to the 2025 Senior Bowl, becoming the first U Sports player to be invited.
Elgersma went undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft, but the Winnipeg Blue Bombers selected him in the CFL draft.
He was invited to try out for the Packers at Lambeau Field, where he caught the attention of former quarterbacks coach and now head coach Matt LeFleur. Elgersma was the only quarterback working out in the Packers’ minicamp, and LeFleur liked what he saw.
“He’s got a very live arm. We could see that on tape,” LaFleur told the media after Elgersma’s workout. “Then just watching him throw [again on Friday, May 9] … there’s a lot to like about him.”
The Packers weren’t 6’5″, 227-pound Elgersma’s only offer; other teams, including the Buffalo Bills, extended him the opportunity to come try out.
Elgersma will join Jordan Love, Malik Willis, and Sean Clifford in the Packers’ quarterback room for 2025. Currently, Willis is expected to back up Love in 2025. Elgersma will compete with Clifford for that third spot on the roster.
