First-year player to be recognized at CFL Awards as part of the 2021 Grey Cup Week in Hamilton
Thursday, November 4, 2021 — TORONTO (November 4, 2021) – The Canadian Football League (CFL) has released the names of the 167 players eligible for the 2021 Most Outstanding Rookie award. The recipient will be recognized at the CFL Awards on December 10 – one of the marquee events during Grey Cup Week in Hamilton.
The Most Outstanding Rookie award is selected by voting members of the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) and CFL head coaches. In order to be eligible, players:
Must have been named to the active 44-man roster of a member club of the CFL for a regular season game during the 2021 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 of the Most Outstanding Rookie award include:
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)
2011: Chris Williams (HAM)
2010: Solomon Elimimian (BC)
The following players are eligible to be named the 2021 Most Outstanding Rookie:
BC LIONS
Name
Position
College
Banks, Josh
DL
Wake Forest
Bonner, Tim
DL
Florida Atlantic
Broxton, Jarell
OL
Baylor
Butler, James
RB
Iowa
Camacho, Jimmy
K
Fresno State
Davis, Marcus
WR
UBC
Divinity, Michael
DL
LSU
Edwards-Cooper, Jalon
DB
Texas A&M Commerce
Flintoft, Stefan
P
UCLA
Gustav, Niklas
DL
Germany
Hammond, Courtney
DL
Western Oregon
Hardin, Kiante
DB
Pittsburgh State
Hastings, Cordell
WR
Acadia
Hladik, Ben
LB
UBC
Joyner, Austin
DB
Washington
Rourke, Nathan
QB
Ohio
Thurman, Kevin
DL
Arkansas State
Williams, Jordan
LB
East Carolina
EDMONTON ELKS
Name
Position
College
Ankrah, Andrew
DL
James Madison
Blake, Eric
DB
McMaster
Clements, Malik
LB
Cincinnati
Cornelius, Taylor
QB
Oklahoma State
Costigan, Thomas
DL
Bryant University
Demery, D’Antne
OL
Florida International
Debaillie, Tibo
DL
Towson University
Edwards, Earnest
WR
Maine
Fletcher, Walter
RB
Ball State
Higby, Tyler
OL
Michigan State
Jack-Kurdyla, Tomas
OL
Buffalo
Karl, Hunter
WR
Calgary
Laguda, Afolabi
DB
Colorado
McDonald, Grant
LB
Calgary
Morgan, Nyles
LB
Notre Dame
Nelson, Cole
DL
Alberta
Nielsen, Steven
OL
Eastern Michigan
Pae, Alain
DL
Ottawa
Philip, Shaydon
DB
Alberta
Rector, Christian
DT
Southern California
Sandjong, Rossini
DE
York
Smalls, Albert
DB
Northern Illinois
Tyne, Malik
DB
Towson University
Williams, Darius
DB
Carson-Newman
CALGARY STAMPEDERS
Name
Position
College
Adeyemi-Berglund, Isaac
DL
Southeastern Louisiana
Bane, Shawn
WR
Northwest Missouri State
Banks, Stefen
DL
Savannah State
Bell, Bryce
OL
Wilfrid Laurier
Bethune, Yurik
DL
Alabama A&M
Branch, Marcelis
DB
Robert Morris
Cowan, Brad
LB
Wilfird Laurier
Good-Jones, Julian
OL
Iowa St
Grace, Cody
P
Arkansas St
Graham, Elliot
RB
UBC
Gray, Kurtis
LB
Waterloo
Hakunavanhu, Luther
WR
York
Henry, Malik
WR
West Georgia
Holley, Nick
WR
Kent State
Killings, Dorian (DJ)
DB
Central Florida
Lee, Malcom
DB
UBC
Maier, Jake
QB
California Davis
Middlemost, Tyson
WR
McMaster
Moore, Charlie
LB
Calgary
Owens, Jarrell
DL
Oklahoma State
Richards, Ramon
DB
Oklahoma State
Seinet-Spaulding, Andrew
DL
McGill
Statz, Nick
DB
Calgary
Stewart, Silas
LB
Incarnate Word
Williams, Kobe
DB
Arizona State
SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
Name
Position
College
Adams, Keion
DE
Western Michigan
Campbell, Christian
DB
Penn State
Ezeala, Christopher
DE
No College
Ferland, Logan
OL
Regina Thunder Jrs
Gates, DeMarquis
LB
Mississippi
Jana, Terrell
WR
Virginia
Jefferson, Cameron
OL
Arkansas
Marino, Garrett
DT
Alabama Birmingham
Morrow, Jamal
RB
Washington State
Nell, John Henry
K
No College
Pinckney, Michael
LB
Miami
Riley, Mattland
OL
Saskatchewan
Schaffer-Baker, Kian
WR
Guelph
Webb, Damon
DB
Ohio State
WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
Name
Position
College
Alford, DeAundre
DB
Tusculum College
Dheilly, Nicholas
DL
Saskatchewan
Gaskill-Cadwallader, Tanner
LB
Wilfrid Laurier
Hallett, Noah
DB
McMaster
Houston, Demerio
DB
Southern
Kramdi, Redha
DB
Montreal
Liegghio, Marc
K
Western University
Lowes, Robbie
LB
Regina
Maruo, Les
LB
Texas at San Antonio
McKnight, Kelvin
WR
Samford
Miller, Joshua
DB
Ball State
Mourtada, Ali
K
Pace
Rocquemore, Jontrell
LB
Utah State
Rose, Ezekiel
DT
West Virginia
Sayles, Casey
DL
Ohio
Schiaffino Perez, Sergio
DB
Saltillo Dinos
Tyrrell, James
WR
Concordia
Walker, Ricky
DT
Virginia Tech
HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
Name
Position
College
Autry II, Lee
DL
Mississippi State
Bennett, Mason
DE
North Dakota
Bertolet, Taylor
K
Texas A&M
Carney, Malik
DL
North Carolina
Cross, Nic
LB
UBC
Feltmate, Bailey
LB
Acadia
Garand-Gauthier, Felix
FB
Laval
Green, Marcus
WR
Louisiana at Monroe (NE)
Izinyon, David
LB
Rostock Griffins
Katsantonis, Stravos
DB
UBC
Lawrence, Desmond
DB
North Carolina
Manalo, Myles
LB
Western University
Murray, Jordan
OL
North Texas
Richards, Jarek
LB
Saint Mary’s
Schnitzler, Tom
LS
UBC
Stribling, Channing
DB
Michigan
Ternowski, Tyler
WR
Waterloo
Vornkahl, Travis
OL
West Texas A&M
White, Papi
WR
Ohio
Whitford, Joel
P
Washington
Whyte, Gordon
LB
St. Francis Xavier
Woodmansey, Coulter
OL
Guelph
Yarbrough, John
OL
Richmond
TORONTO ARGONAUTS
Name
Position
College
Acheampong, Sam
DT
Wilfrid Laurier
Allen, Dejon
OL
Hawaii
Brissett, Dejon
WR
Virginia
Cassar, Jack
LB
Carleton
Churchill, Theren
OL
Regina
Giffen, Dylan
OL
Western University
Hagerty, Josh
DB
Saskatchewan
Hoyte, Trevor
LB
Carleton
Jeanpiere, Damion
WR
Nicholls State
Mencer, Eli
DL
Albany
Nicastro, Peter
OL
Calgary
Nield, Tommy
WR
McMaster
Oakman, Shawn
DL
Baylor
Pellerin, Dion
RB
Waterloo
Peters, Jamal
DB
Mississippi State
OTTAWA REDBLACKS
Name
Position
College
Abrahams-Webster, Treshaun
DB
Calgary
Asse, Ketel
OL
Laval
Auclair, Adam
LB
Laval
Basambombo, Dan
LB
Laval
Boyd, Dino
OL
Cincinnati
Bushell-Beatty, Juwann
OL
Michigan
Christion, Taryn
QB
South Dakota State
Davis, Ryan
WR
Auburn
Evans, Caleb
QB
Louisiana Monroe
Ferguson, Chris
OL
Cincinnati
Griffin, Frankie
DB
Texas State
Hornbuckle, Tre
DL
Duke
Lebreux, Clement
DL
Laval
Martin-Oguike, Praise
DL
Temple
McGloster, Jamar
OL
Syracuse
Muhammad, Brad
DB
Florida International
Nnoruka, Chigozie
DL
Miami
Phillips, Ervin
WR
Syracuse
Pickett, Andrew
OL
Guelph
Smallwood, Jordan
WR
Oklahoma
Szott, Jakob
OL
McMaster
Vrede, Tyron
LB
North Datoka
Williams, Terry
WR
Tennesse Martin
MONTREAL ALOUETTES
Name
Position
College
Antwi, Jeshrun
RB
Calgary
Cote, David
K
Laval
Dequoy, Marc-Antoine
DB
Montreal
Harelimana Brian
LB
Montreal
Randle Jr., Rodney
DB
Lamar
Watson, Tre
LB
Maryland
Zema, Joseph
P
Incarnate World
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Mark Perry is the founder and editor of CFL News Hub. A dedicated and experienced football analyst, he has been providing comprehensive coverage of the sport since 2018. In March 2021, he further expanded his reporting scope to the Canadian Football League. Mark continues to share insightful analysis and updates on all things CFL, adding to the lively conversation surrounding the sport. Contact him directly at mark.perry@cflnewshub.com.