Most Outstanding Rookie to be crowned at CFL Awards as part of the Grey Cup Festival

A total of 107 first-year players are eligible to be named the Canadian Football League (CFL)’s Most Outstanding Rookie. The recipient will be recognized at this year’s CFL Awards – one of the marquee events during the 2023 Grey Cup Festival – at Fallsview Casino Resort in Niagara Falls on Thursday, November 16.

The Most Outstanding Rookie is selected by voting members of the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) and CFL head coaches. To be eligible, players:

• Must have been named to the active 45-man roster of a member club of the CFL for a regular season game during the 2023 season; AND
• Must not have dressed for a member club of the CFL for a regular season, postseason or championship game in any prior season; AND
• Must not have dressed for a member club of the National Football League for a regular season, postseason or championship game in the current season or any season prior.

Previous winners include:

• 2022: Dalton Schoen (WPG)
• 2021: Jordan Williams (BC)
• 2019: Nate Holley (CGY)
• 2018: Lewis Ward (OTT)
• 2017: James Wilder Jr. (TOR)
• 2016: DaVaris Daniels (CGY)
• 2015: Derel Walker (EDM)
• 2014: Dexter McCoil (EDM)
• 2013: Brett Jones (CGY)
• 2012: Chris Matthews (WPG)

2023 ROOKIE CLASS
​(Name | POS | School)

BC LIONS

• Siriman Bagayogo | DB | Guelph
• Francis Bemiy | DL | Southern Utah
• Chase Brice | QB | Appalachian State
• Ayden Eberhardt | WR | Wyoming
• Jack Hinsperger | DB | Waterloo
• Taquan Mizzell | RB | Virginia
• Marcus Moore | DL | Utah State
• Brooks Parker | LB | Delaware State
• Shaun Shivers | RB | Indiana
• Amir Siddiqi | DL | Charlotte
• Ryder Varga | LB | Regina

EDMONTON ELKS

• Woodly Appolon | LB | Tuskegee
• Darrius Bratton | DB | Virginia
• Michael Brodrique | LB | Montreal
• Shannon Brooks | RB | Minnesota
• Elliott Brown | DL | Virginia
• Luke Burton-Krahn | LS | UBC
• Noah Curtis | DL | Keiser
• Jarret Doege | QB | Troy
• Dean Faithfull | K | Colorado State – Pueblo
• Marloshawn Franklin Jr. | DB | California ​
• Kai Gray | DB | Lincoln
• Phillip Grohovac | OL | Western
• Jake Julien | P | Eastern Michigan
• C.J. Sims | WR | Maryland
• Jake Taylor | LB | Alberta

CALGARY STAMPEDERS

• Floyd Allen | WR | Mississippi
• Clark Barnes | WR | Guelph
• Logan Bonner | QB | Utah State
• Rodeem Brown | OL | Alberta
• Julian Charles | DB | Mississippi College
• Tae Daley | DB | Virginia Tech
• Michael Griffin II | LB | South Dakota State
• Rysen John | WR | Simon Fraser
• Chris Reynolds | QB | Charlotte
• Shaquille St-Lot | DB | Maine
• Alex Tchangam | DL | Colorado
• Kelon Thomas | DL | Okanagan Sun (CJFL)
• Cole Tucker | WR | Northern Illinois
• Brandon Weldon | OL | Sacramento State

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

• Christian Albright | DL | Ball State
• Thomas Bertrand-Hudon | RB | Delaware State
• Rodney Clemons | DB | Southern Methodist
• Brandon Council | OL | Auburn
• Abu Daramy-Swaray | DB | Colgate
• Matt Dean | LB | York
• Jaxon Ford | DB | Regina
• Zach Fry | OL | Western
• Adam Korsak | P | Rutgers
• Lake Korte-Moore | DL | UBC
• Lukas Ruoss | LB | Bemidji State
• Jerreth Sterns | WR | Western Kentucky
• Deontai Williams | DB | Nebraska

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS

• Anthony Bennett | DL | Regina
• Celestin Haba | DL | Texas A&M Commerce
• Damian Jackson | RB | Buffalo
• Jake Kelly | DB | Bishop’s
• Jeremy Murphy | WR | Concordia
• Tanner Schmekel | DL | Regina
• Jamieson Sheahan | P | California

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

• Omar Bayless | WR | Arkansas State
• Dayton Black | OL | Saskatchewan
• Patrick Burke Jr. | DB | Wilfrid Laurier
• Carthell Flowers-Lloyd | DB | Stony Brook
• Kenneth George Jr. | DB | Tennessee
• Jarrod Hewitt | DL | Virginia Tech
• Chris Kolarevic | LB | Nebraska
• Dexter Lawson Jr. | DB | Appalachian State
• Tyreik McAllister | RB | Charleston
• Penei Pavihi | LB | Hawaii
• Taylor Powell | QB | Eastern Michigan
• Kendrick Sartor | OL | Cincinnati

TORONTO ARGONAUTS

• B.J. Byrd | WR | Morehead State
• Cameron Dukes | QB | Lindsey Wilson
• Jonathan Edouard | DB | Carleton
• Adam Guillemette | LS | Holy Cross
• Rajae Johnson | WR | Troy
• Daniel Kwamou | LB | UBC
• Deonta McMahon | RB | McNeese State
• Spencer Nichols | FB | Western
• Mason Pierce | DB | Colorado Mines
• Bryan Scott | QB | Occidental College
• Qwan’tez Stiggers | DB | N/A

OTTAWA REDBLACKS

• Dontae Bull | OL | Fresno State
• Lucas Cormier | DB | Mount Allison
• Dustin Crum | QB | Kent State
• Tobias Harris | DB | Old Dominion
• Aidan John | DL | Saint Mary’s
• Deandre Lamont | DB | Illinois State
• James Peter | LB | Ottawa
• Tyrrell Pigrome | QB | Towson
• Thomas Schaffer | DL | Stanford
• Blessman Ta’ala | DL | Hawaii
• De’Montre Tuggle | RB | Ohio
• Joshua Valentine-Turner | DB | Florida International
• Tyler Wiltz | LB | Pittsburgh

MONTREAL ALOUETTES

• Keshunn Abram | WR | Kent State
• Israel Antwine | DL | Oklahoma State
• Tysen-Otis Copeland | DB | Montreal
• David Dallaire | FB | Laval
• Quartney Davis | WR | Texas A&M
• Kabion Ento | DB | Colorado
• Bryce Notree | LB | Southern Illinois
• Kordell Rodgers | DB | Texas State
• Tyler Snead | WR | East Carolina
• Reggie Stubblefield | DB | Kansas State
• Lwal Uguak | DL | TCU