As we pass through the month of July, standout individual performances are becoming more and more apparent with each week.
One of the many joys of a CFL season’s length is watching players go from good to great through the always important element of consistency.
Sure, a player can burst onto the scene then disappear. Another can be great for a month, then falter when the league catches up to them. The truly special players are the ones who get notarized by opponents week after week and continue to shine through every challenge.
These are the players who have done just that through six weeks and have an early lead in the All-CFL discussion.
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OFFENCE
Bo Levi Mitchell and Kenny Lawler have the Tiger-Cats off to an absolutely ridiculous start by connecting on seven touchdown passes and an unreasonable pace of passing yardage.
Keon Hatcher Sr. and James Butler are doing their best to support the Lions with or without Nathan Rourke in the lineup. Meanwhile, Eugene Lewis has struggled at times in his new Ottawa surroundings, but is still getting enough targets and attention from a variety of quarterbacks to validate piling up another big season in new colours.
The final two receivers in Toronto’s Damonte Coxie and Saskatchewan’s KeeSean Johnson play the game in different ways, different offences, with different body types, and have both found a way to remain in the top five of CFL receiving yardage as their quarterbacks look early and often their way.
On the offensive line Hamilton’s Coulter Woodmansey gets the nod just ahead of Calgary’s standout rookie Chris Fortin with Hamilton’s elite protection of Bo Levi Mitchell as does Liam Dobson for the same reason. The old Winnipeg standout Patrick Neufeld has been elite this year anchoring the Bombers pass protection while his former running mate Jermarcus Hardrick is excelling in Saskatchewan and Jarell Broxton has locked down defensive ends consistently this season.
DEFENCE
Andrew Chatfield Jr. has burst on the scene for the Argos as an ultra active rush end and Mathieu Betts by far leads the league in total pressures created, according to Pro Football Focus. Montreal’s duo of Shawn Oakman and Lwal Uguak have been almost identical in production while floating around in Noel Thorpe’s defence but one of the two should separate themselves as the season rolls on. Edmonton’s Jake Ceresna has also separated himself through the first six weeks of the year winning more one-on-one battles than anyone on the interior according to PFF.
At linebacker it’s Cameron Judge with a full stat sheet but lacking the explosive plays – which I believe will come as the season advances – and his ex-Calgary teammate Micah Awe up to his usual tackling machine ways. Ottawa’s Adarius Pickett is just about everywhere this season including on returns.
It might seem ridiculous to have the defensive backfield contain only players from two teams but Stavros Katsantonis is creating more consistent mayhem than any free safety in the game right now while Jamal Peters has a handful of interceptions. Destin Talbert gets the halfback nod ahead of DaShaun Amos for well-rounded play over interception total for a Hamilton defence that is still giving up 25.8 offensive points against per game despite having these back end standouts.
Meanwhile in Saskatchewan, Rolan Milligan Jr. is everywhere yet again and Tevaughn Campbell is doing his best to hold off Calgary’s Adrian Greene for the other corner position in a hotly contested Canadian battle.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Marc Liegghio gets the nod over BC’s Sean Whyte for average length of kicks made as both men are a perfect 12 for 12.
Carl Meyer has the best net punt average in the CFL with no singles and a CFL-leading seven punts placed inside the 10 and Hamilton’s Isaiah Wooden has two touchdowns returns already this season with an impressive average.