It’s Week 11, which means we have reached the official mid-point of the CFL season.
Six of the nine teams have half their season behind them, while three have eight games under their belt. As such, there is no better time to look back on the first half of the year and honour those players who have come out of the gates hot, while setting the stage for the end-of-year race to awards season.
We polled 13 3DownNation contributors to see who their mid-season all-star and award selections would be. Unlike the CFL, there were no divisional requirements here; the only requirement was to vote for the best players available.
Yesterday, we revealed our selections for the 2025 mid-season all-stars. Today, we unveil our mid-season award winners.
MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER: QB Bo Levi Mitchell, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
While some might argue that other candidates better fit the American concept of “Most Valuable Player,” we honour those who best fit the definition of “outstanding” up north. No one fits that better than Mitchell right now, as last year’s runner-up for the award is currently on pace to record the most CFL passing yards since 2017 and the most passing touchdowns since 2012. The 35-year-old has thrown for over 300 yards in seven of nine starts, while his current touchdown mark of 21 is five more than any other player and has been accompanied by just three interceptions.
RUNNER-UPS: QB Vernon Adams Jr., CGY | REC Kenny Lawler, HAM
MOST OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER: DT Jaylon Hutchings, Calgary Stampeders
The last time that a defensive tackle was named the Most Outstanding Defensive Player was Joe Fleming in 2003, but Hutchings is well on his way to breaking that drought. After quietly debuting at the end of last year, the 304-pound pass rusher has turned into a complete wrecking ball in his sophomore campaign and has generated six sacks despite being consistently double-teamed. When it comes to explaining Calgary’s defensive turnaround, you need look no further than the emergence of this interior force that teams have to game-plan for.
RUNNER-UPS: LB Jameer Thurman, SSK | SAM Derrick Moncrief, CGY
MOST OUTSTANDING CANADIAN: QB Nathan Rourke, B.C. Lions
Let’s be frank: as long as Rourke is playing competently, his status as a starting quarterback will always make him the favourite for this award. That doesn’t mean that the Oakville, Ont. native doesn’t deserve a second trophy for his case, though, as he has gone over the 300-yard passing mark in five of his seven starts and leads all CFL QBs with 238 yards rushing to boot. Few players in the league have more dynamic playmaking ability, and the Lions have needed every last ounce from Rourke after dropping off a cliff during his oblique injury.
RUNNER-UPS: DB Stavros Katsantonis, HAM | DB Adrian Greene, CGY
MOST OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: RT Jermarcus Hardrick, Saskatchewan Roughriders
Few offensive line units have been marred by more injuries than Saskatchewan, but having the league’s best tackle locking down one side makes all other issues seem small. At 35 years old, Hardrick is having arguably the best season in a career full of great years, keeping Trevor Harris clean and opening up big holes on the ground. After he was limited to just five games in his season in Riderville, the organization is now getting what they paid for in free agency a year ago — and much more.
RUNNER-UPS: C Logan Ferland, SSK | LG Pier-Olivier Lestage, MTL
MOST OUTSTANDING SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER: RET Isaiah Wooden Sr., Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Speed kills on a CFL field, and Wooden may well be the league’s fastest player due to his reported 4.38 forty-yard dash in college. He has used that effectively in his first season as Hamilton’s primary returner, leading the league in both punt and kickoff return yardage, producing nine big play returns, and scoring three touchdowns. While his status for the rest of this year is in question after a shoulder injury suffered last week, the Southern Utah product has already produced numbers that would win this award some years.
RUNNER-UPS: PK Jose Maltos Diaz, MTL | RET Kalil Pimpleton, OTT
MOST OUTSTANDING ROOKIE: DB Derek Slywka, Toronto Argonauts
When the Argos flip-flopped Slywka between receiver and defensive back in training camp, we wondered if there was anything he couldn’t do. Thus far, the answer has been a resounding “no.” The standout from tiny Division III Ithaca College has made the transition to the pro game look effortless with an interception and a couple of forced fumbles from his safety position. He also had 100+ yard scoop-and-score and missed field goal return touchdowns in the same game, etching himself into CFL lore forever.
RUNNER-UPS: OL Christopher Fortin, CGY | RB Travis Theis, MTL
COACH OF THE YEAR: Corey Mace, Saskatchewan Roughriders
It may be gauche to simply pick the head coach of the team with the best record for this honour, but Mace deserves it for reasons other than the Riders’ impressive 7-1 mark. Saskatchewan has made do without projected key contributors like Sean McEwen, Trevon Tate, Philippe Gagnon, Kian Schaffer-Baker, Samuel Emilus, and C.J. Avery, while also being one of the few teams undefeated in the absence of their starting quarterback. That stems directly from the culture that the Port Moody, B.C. native has built, but he doesn’t succeed off vibes alone. The 39-year-old also personally leads a defence that is second in points allowed, third in yards allowed, and second in sacks.
RUNNER-UPS: Scott Milanovich, HAM | Dave Dickenson, CGY
