CFL wide receiver Brad Smith is first bachelor on The Bachelor Canada

Ladies, keep your panties on. The “bachelor” on the first season of The Bachelor Canada was revealed Tuesday (May 1), and it’s CFL wide receiver Brad Smith.

The 28-year-old Quebec native graduated from Queen’s University in Ontario before starting his Canadian football career, playing for the Montreal Alouettes in 2007, the Toronto Argonauts from 2007 to 2009, and the Edmonton Eskimos from 2010 to 2011. However, come fall 2012, the only thing Smith will be “receiving” is 25 love-hungry Canadian bachelorettes.

“I’m extremely honoured to be chosen as Canada's first bachelor. I take this experience very seriously, and I truly believe in the process,” Smith said in a news release. “I can’t wait to meet all the wonderful Canadian women who have put their lives on hold to experience all of this with me. I hope I can live up to their expectations, as I know they'll absolutely exceed mine.”

According to the news release, Smith’s “ideal woman” is fun-loving and active. She must also be independent and intelligent, and “just as confident in a ponytail, sweatpants, and sweatshirt, as [she] is all dressed up for a night on the town.”

What does Canada’s most eligible bachelor have to offer? Apparently, he’s a driven, confident, and candid guy who’s “ready to settle down and find his soulmate.”

The 25 bachelorettes vying for Smith’s fantasy-suite key and the host of The Bachelor Canada will be revealed at a later date.

You can follow Michelle da Silva on Twitter at twitter.com/michdas.