Of the 92 athletes who will work out at the 2025 Canadian Football League Combine, nine are linebackers, including University of Saskatchewan Huskies' Seth Hundeby.
The six-foot-three, 245-pound Saskatoon native has spent the last four seasons with the Huskies after graduating from Holy Cross High School in the Bridge City. Looking back, Hundeby finds it hard to believe that football has allowed him to showcase himself at the CFL Combine.
“I would have been a little bit in disbelief. Growing up, I really enjoyed football because it was fun. I got to hang out with my friends. In high school, I remember my high school coach saying: ‘So what do you want to do after high school football?’”
Hundeby hadn’t considered playing beyond high school, let alone post-secondary at that time.
“I didn't even think that was a possibility. That turned into a reality and then it turned out that I could excel. If you were to tell me that I was going to have potential with CFL prospect status, it would have probably blown my mind.”
That reality has sunk in, Hundeby has been working relentlessly with the renowned team at Ignite Athletics in Saskatoon. He has trained there in previous off-seasons, but this time, it has been about being his best in March rather than the fall.
“Some of the focuses in a couple of the exercises have been shifted to things that we are going to do during the combine. But there's still a focus on strength, endurance and speed.”
Hundeby, a first-team all-Canadian, has played 42 games with the Huskies over the last four seasons. In that time, he has also had the opportunity to play at the highest levels in Saskatchewan and across the country, competing against many of the players who will be attending the combine. While he knows those athletes, he admits they aren’t his focus.
“It's going to be nice to see some familiar faces, but I've been mostly focusing on myself. I know that they're putting in a lot of work, and so have I, so it's going to be a good time.”
Hundeby will compete in the individual testing and participate in full practices on Saturday and Sunday, which he is looking forward to.
“In the game, we're on the same field at the same time and we have opposing opinions. Once one-on-ones hit, it doesn't really matter what jersey or what helmet colour you're wearing. I'm going to go out there and give it 110 percent.”
Hundeby is also excited to meet some of his CFL idols, who have now become head coaches and talent evaluators in the league, during the interview process.
“Growing up, being interested in the CFL, that's really fun that I get the opportunity to do that. It's nothing that I'm stressing about, but it's something that I've definitely kept in the back of my mind.”
Players will be on the turf at the AffinityPlex for the first time on Friday morning.
