Defensive players Milligan, Beverette headline MOP Award hopefuls
Published
Two defensive players are candidates to win the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player Award as indicated by the team award winners revealed Wednesday.
Defensive back Rolan Milligan Jr. of the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Montreal Alouettes’ linebacker Tyrice Beverette were each unanimous team nominees for MOP, an award that has only been won by a defensive player once when Solomon Elimimian took home the hardware with the BC Lions in 2014.
Milligan has 91 combined tackles and a league-leading eight interceptions in 16 games so far this season for the Riders. Beverette leads the CFL with 107 tackles and has added four sacks, four forced fumbles and two picks for an Alouettes team that will finish the season with the best record in the CFL. Both players are also up for the Most Outstanding Defensive Player award.
Receiver Justin McInnis of the BC Lions and running back Brady Oliveira of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are two MOP nominees also nominated for the Most Outstanding Canadian award. Oliveira, a Winnipeg native, is the league’s leading rusher (1,318 yards) for the second straight year and also won MOC in 2023.
McInnis is the CFL’s leader in receiving yards at 1,469 with 92 catches and seven touchdowns, breaking out in his fifth seasons in the league. The Pierrefonds, Que., native spent his first three seasons in the league with the Roughriders and joined the Lions in 2023.
Each team picked a winner for every major award category, including Most Outstanding Player, Most Canadian, Defensive Player, Offensive Lineman, Special Teams Player and Rookie. Team award winners will now move onto a second round of voting to determine division finalists, which will be announced on Oct. 31, followed by with the winners unveiled at the CFL Awards during Grey Cup Week in Vancouver on Nov. 14.
Team award winners were selected by each team’s head coach and the local voting members of the Football Reporters of Canada.
Here is the full list of team winners:
2024 TEAM AWARD WINNERS
* Denotes a unanimous selection
Most Outstanding Player
· BC | Justin McInnis
· Edmonton | Eugene Lewis
· Calgary | Reggie Begelton*
· Saskatchewan | Rolan Milligan Jr.*
· Winnipeg | Brady Oliveira*
· Hamilton | Bo Levi Mitchell*
· Toronto | Ka’Deem Carey
· Ottawa | Justin Hardy*
· Montreal | Tyrice Beverette*
Most Outstanding Defensive Player
· BC | Garry Peters
· Edmonton | Nyles Morgan
· Calgary | Cameron Judge*
· Saskatchewan | Rolan Milligan Jr.*
· Winnipeg | Tyrell Ford
· Hamilton | Jamal Peters
· Toronto | DaShaun Amos
· Ottawa | Michael Wakefield*
· Montreal | Tyrice Beverette
Most Outstanding Canadian
· BC | Justin McInnis*
· Edmonton | Kurleigh Gittens Jr.
· Calgary | Cameron Judge
· Saskatchewan | Samuel Emilus
· Winnipeg | Brady Oliveira*
· Hamilton | Kiondré Smith
· Toronto | Lirim Hajrullahu
· Ottawa | Drew Desjarlais
· Montreal | Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund
Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman
· BC | Jarell Broxton*
· Edmonton | Martez Ivey
· Calgary | Sean McEwen
· Saskatchewan | Logan Ferland*
· Winnipeg | Stanley Bryant*
· Hamilton | Brandon Revenberg
· Toronto | Ryan Hunter
· Ottawa | Drew Desjarlais
· Montreal | Pier-Olivier Lestage
Most Outstanding Special Teams Player
· BC | Sean Whyte*
· Edmonton | Jake Julien*
· Calgary | René Paredes*
· Saskatchewan | Rolan Milligan Jr.*
· Winnipeg | Sergio Castillo*
· Hamilton | Marc Liegghio
· Toronto | Janarion Grant
· Ottawa | Adarius Pickett
· Montreal | James Letcher Jr.
Most Outstanding Rookie
· BC | Ayinde Eley
· Edmonton | Nick Anderson*
· Calgary | Clarence Hicks
· Saskatchewan | Trevor Reid
· Winnipeg | Ontaria Wilson*
· Hamilton | Shemar Bridges*
· Toronto | Makai Polk
· Ottawa | Kalil Pimpleton*
· Montreal | Geoffrey Cantin-Arku