Most Outstanding Canadian Watch: Top 6 contenders heading into Week 8

Posted on July 23, 2025

Here we are turning the corner towards the midway point of the season.

The weather is starting to remind us that school, and more importantly OK Tire Labour Day Weekend, isn’t all that far off. Our perception of Canadian standout performances is beginning to change with the sense of season, or is it?

Here are your top candidates for Most Outstanding Canadian as July winds down.

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1. NATHAN ROURKE | QUARTERBACK | BC LIONS

 

With Tre Ford under threat to lose his starting job as the Elks continue to battle upstream in search of consistency and victories, Nathan Rourke continues to be the immovable force in this discussion. Outplayed by Trevor Harris as the Roughriders stormed BC Place last week, Rourke is still manipulating the pocket at a high level and has shown great chemistry with a handful of his top targets. The BC Lions offence will continue to evolve with Buck Pierce at the helm as the season rolls along and there is no doubt Rourke will adapt his skill set to the new surroundings.

What’s most impressive is Rourke’s risk management sense, including just five sacks taken on the season and knowing when to throw the ball away to play for another down or possession. Is it perfect like 2022? No, but he’s working his way into fine form and you can see it coming with every rep and lesson learned as Nathan re-adapts to the CFL game.

2. KEVIN MITAL | RECEIVER | TORONTO ARGONAUTS

This one is a toss up with so much football left to be played.

Kevin Mital leads the Canadian receiving contingent, which appears strong as ever, with a CFL-leading 37 catches on 41 targets. While his perfect 100 per cent target to catch ratio might be gone there is no denying his positive impact on the Argos offence especially as they push their way forward into the comeback victories like last week in Montreal.

Meanwhile Justin McInnis is waiting to truly explode like last season and could have the ultimate upper hand on Mital if his big play ways return.

3. ADRIAN GREENE | DEFENSIVE BACK | CALGARY STAMPEDERS

I mentioned Tevaughn Campbell a few weeks ago who was leading the defensive backfield efforts of Canadians across the league, but Adrian Greene just had another interception and now is tied for the CFL lead with three on the season.

This comes as a depth pick who isn’t with his original organization and started the year backing up a first round pick. Greene is quickly and consistently proving his worth as the Stampeders continue to push their way North through the CFL standings.

4. SEAN THOMAS ERLINGTON | RUNNING BACK | MONTREAL ALOUETTES

Try to talk him out of the conversation, but he just won’t go away.

With 54 carries and 267 yards the yards per carry average won’t stack up to many of the top ten rushers across the CFL, but Sean Thomas Erlington‘s physical running style and effort on every down is a sight to behold as Montreal fans revel in having one of their own lead all Canadians in backfield prowess for the first time in a LONG time.

5. CAMERON JUDGE | LINEBACKER | TORONTO ARGONAUTS

Cameron Judge has tallied 35 defensive tackles and another three on special teams to go along with a sack so far in 2025 (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca)

Cameron Judge continues to be the top Canadian defender in terms of plays made.

Despite playing in a banged up Argos defence and being the singular focus of most offensive coordinators, Judge now has 38 tackles, a sack, a couple of pass knockdowns and deserves to be recognized in this list, even if it would take a herculean effort for a defender to cash in the potential votes needed come end of season.

HONOURABLE MENTION: THE KICKERS

They won’t get the love come end of season, but it’s hard to deny the excellence of two true Canadian standouts in Hamilton’s Marc Liegghio and BC’s Sean Whyte.

At a combined 28 makes on 28 attempts, this pair remains perfect and shows no signs of slowing down as we head toward the second half of the season. Fingers crossed the commentator curse doesn’t catch one of these incredible kickers in its web.



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