Elgersma ready for “pretty surreal moment” ahead of upcoming NFL Draft

Burlington, Ont. - Taylor Elgersma had a remarkable season on the gridiron in 2024, but the excitement of an accolade-filled campaign continued even after the final whistle was blown.

A jam-packed few months for the senior quarterback has seen him showcase his talents and strong apt for the game in many National Football League (NFL) prospect events. From his impressive senior year with the Golden Hawks to a top-30 NFL visit at Lambeau Field, Elgersma is excited for what the next chapter brings.

Prior to showcasing his talents on fields south of the border, Elgersma shone for the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks. The talented pivot helped lead his team to a perfect 8-0 regular season, secured season MVP nods both provincially (Larry Haylor Award) and nationally (Hec Crighton), and earned player of the game honours as part of Laurier’s Yates Cup Championship victory.

And that OUA banner still stands tall among Elgersma’s top football moments.

“I think that's probably my best memory in my football career right now is winning that championship,” said Elgersma, “getting to win it at home in front of our home crowd in my senior year, this group of guys, we've been building year after year, getting better and better. To host the Yates Cup and then be able to get it done against the team that we lost to the year before. I think all that meant a lot for us and a lot for this program.

In the 116th edition of the OUA football finale, Elgersma went 18-for-30 for 306 yards and four touchdowns to help Laurier secure the 51-31 victory over the Western Mustangs.

A win in the proceeding Uteck Bowl put the Hawks in the Vanier Cup finale, and while the OUA champs came up just short of a national title in the end, Elgersma still spoke highly of the growth of Laurier football showcased along their journey to the U SPORTS finale.

“Obviously we didn't do quite enough to win that [Vanier Cup], but I think still like looking back at it overall, I think that making it to that national championship is really kind of a statement of where Laurier football is at and where we've taken it to.”

Elgersma himself also took his game to a new level, an impressive feat given he was coming off an OUA MVP season in 2023-24 as well. The now back-to-back Larry Haylor Award recipient led the league with a 74.5 completion percentage, while passing for 330.4 yards per game and adding 26 total touchdowns (20 passing, six rushing) through the regular season.

Since wrapping up the varsity football season in November, Elgersma has kept his agenda packed, a stretch that included an invite to the prestigious Reese’s Senior Bowl and competing at the University of Buffalo Pro Day a few weeks ago.

“It has definitely been a wild ride and exciting. I think going to play that entire all-star game circuit in the States was a lot of fun. I enjoyed competing against that top level competition and ultimately wrapping up with the Senior Bowl - it was a pretty unbelievable experience that whole week.

“Then getting the chance to go compete at the pro day at the University of Buffalo, be with [Laurier teammate] Ethan Jordan there and bring him to that, that was pretty cool getting to throw to him again in front of scouts’ eyes. Then it’s been taking visits, taking phone calls, taking zoom calls, and talking ball with teams. I'm excited for the next chapter to start and to get rolling with whatever spot I end up in.”

The immensity of all of this is not lost on Elgersma, and despite trying to put his best foot forward, he has still tried to enjoy the cool, ‘pinch-me’ type moments he’s experienced.

“There are definitely moments like that. When I walked out on Lambeau Field, when I was taking my visit with Green Bay – that's a pretty surreal moment, looking around and thinking that this could be a home for you. Or, when I'm at the Senior Bowl and Dylan Gabriel is my roommate, and we're in there talking plays and just knowing his career and history. I think getting to play with some of those guys was pretty special for me. And getting the chance to compete and show that I belong with them was something that definitely was a little bit of a pinch-me moment.

Even still, there is still one such moment that Elgersma is looking to capture.

"As much as I've had a lot of cool experiences and opportunities, I haven't reached my goal yet. My goal is to be a professional quarterback, and I think that when that comes true, that is when I'll really have the pinch-me moment.”

With these experiences Elgersma has worked hard to define who he is as a quarterback and set himself apart. He has always been a leader and has shown those qualities on the field through these experiences.

“My leadership style is a blend of intensity, toughness, but also knowledge and being the operator of the offence. And I think I really can show teams who I am as a person with how I operate when I'm on the field, how I lead the guys, my understanding of our playbook, and my confidence to direct guys around the field. At the pro day, I was lucky enough to be able to show those things a little bit, with people being able to hear you and then see your direction that you give to your teammates and how you connect with them.”

Building a championship-winning team with a strong group of seniors as a Golden Hawk is proof for Elgersma that relationships are the key to building trust and being a good leader and that connection with his teammates was evident his past fall.

“I think that's one thing for us at Laurier football that we always talked about. We always broke it down on family. It's about relationships first, and that's how you build the trust with your receivers and with your O-line; that’s how you have good relationships with them. And then the rest falls into place.”

Beyond his strong relationships with his teammates at Laurier, Elgersma has built impactful relationships with his coaching staff, including OUA football coach of the year Michael Faulds and offensive coordinator Todd Galloway. Both have made a significant impact on Elgersma’s development.

“Coach Galloway and I have worked together for five years now and we have a lot of trust in our relationship. He's developed me as a decision-maker. He's allowed me to make a lot of decisions on the field. And at a young age, I got to develop, right from year one.”

During his university career, Elgersma also participated in the CFL Quarterback Internship program, along with many other prominent OUA pivots over the years. He spent three training camps with CFL clubs, further developing his skills behind the ball. He joined the Toronto Argonauts in 2022 and 2023 and the Hamilton Tiger Cats in 2024, crediting his experience in the program for a significant part of his development.

“Coach Mike Miller at Toronto has really taken me under his wing, and we still stay connected very often. So I think just getting to be coached up by great coaches at Laurier, but also in that internship program, has been big for me.”

All of these experiences have led to Elgersma’s name being mentioned in rarified air, potentially becoming the first Canadian university quarterback selected in the NFL Draft since it moved to a seven-round format in 1994, but he is also adding to the impact that has already been built and creating opportunities for those playing in Canadian university football.

“I look at guys like Giovanni Manu from UBC last year getting the chance to play with Detroit, or Theo Benedet from UBC getting the chance to play Chicago, and I watched those guys get opportunities, and that kind of opened my eyes a little bit that this can be done. And so even though it hasn't been done at the quarterback position yet, hopefully, if I can do it, some other guys will get opportunities down the road as well.”

As the NFL Draft approaches and the potential for Elgersma’s name to be called grows, the excitement is real, but regardless of what the opportunity ends up being or how the next few days play out, Elgersma is thankful and ready for wherever the journey will take him next.

“I don't even think it's exclusive to me getting a draft pick, whether I'm a draft pick, I'm a priority free agent, normal free agent – if I get lucky enough to sign an NFL contract, no matter how that is, I think that's going to be a pretty surreal moment for me.”