Bombers’ Oliveira, CFL rushing leader, up for outstanding player and top Canadian awards

Zach Collaros won’t be in the running for a third straight CFL outstanding player award.

The Winnipeg quarterback has won the honour the last two years. But Canadian running back Brady Oliveira earned the Blue Bombers’ nod Wednesday for this year’s award in voting conducted by the Football Reporters of Canada and nine CFL head coaches.

The five-foot-10, 222-pound Oliveira, a Winnipeg native, is the CFL’s rushing leader with 1,498 yards (5.9-yard average) and nine touchdowns. The 26-year-old also has 38 catches for 482 yards and four touchdowns.

Oliveira was also a unanimous selection as Winnipeg’s top Canadian nominee.

Outstanding player

West Division nominees:

• Vernon Adams Jr., QB, B.C. Lions (4,769 yards, CFL passing leader)
• Tre Ford, QB, Edmonton Elks (2,069 yards passing, 622 yards rushing in 10 starts)
• Reggie Begelton, receiver, Calgary Stampeders (86 catches, 1,169 yards, five TDs)
• Larry Dean, LB, Saskatchewan Roughriders (104 tackles)

East nominees:

• Chad Kelly, QB, Toronto Argonauts (4,123 passing yards, 248 rushing yards and eight TDs)
• Tim White, receiver, Hamilton Tiger-Cats (75 catches, CFL-high 1,269 yards, eight TDs)
• Austin Mack, receiver, Montreal (78 catches, 1,154 yards, four TDs)
• Devonte Williams, RB, Ottawa Redblacks (952 yards rushing, three TDs)

Adams, Begelton and Kelly were all unanimous picks.

The division finalists will be announced next Wednesday. The CFL will honour its top individual performers Nov. 16 at Fallsview Casino & Resort in Niagara Falls, Ont.

Top Canadian

West nominees:

• Tre Ford, QB, Edmonton
• Mathieu Betts, DL, B.C.(CFL-record 17 sacks)
• Cameron Judge, LB, Calgary (91 total tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, five interceptions, fumble recovery)
• Samuel Emilus, receiver, Saskatchewan (70 catches, 1,097 yards, six TDs)

East nominees:

• Stavros Katsantonis, safety, Hamilton (five interceptions, fumble recovery)
• Royce Metchie, DB, Toronto (71 tackles, interception, two forced fumbles, fumble recovery)
• Cleyon Laing, DL, Ottawa (seven sacks)
• Marc-Antoine Dequoy, DB, Montreal (five interceptions, 184 return yards, two TDs)

Ford, Judge, Emilus, Katsantonis, Laing and Dequoy joined Oliveira as unanimous picks.

Top defensive player

West nominees:

Betts and Dean were both their teams’ nominees as top defensive players.

• Jake Ceresna, DL, Edmonton (12 sacks, tied for second in CFL)
• Micah Awe, LB, Calgary (118 tackles, 124 total tackles, both CFL highs)
• Willie Jefferson, DL, Winnipeg (2019 winner, 11 sacks this season

East nominees:

• Simoni Lawrence, LB, Hamilton (83 tackles, five sacks, interception, three forced fumbles),
• Adarius Pickett, LB, Toronto (114 total tackles to stand second in CFL, five sacks, a forced fumble and two recoveries)
• Tyrice Beverette, LB, Montreal (102 total tackles to stand third overall, seven sacks, four fumble recoveries)
• Bryce Carter, DL, Ottawa (team-high 12 sacks, tied for second in CFL)

Dean, Jefferson and Carter were unanimous picks.

Top lineman

West nominees:

Stanley Bryant, the CFL’s top lineman four times, is another stalwart Blue Bomber who won’t be defending his individual award this year. Jermarcus Hardrick was named Winnipeg’s finalist in 2023.

• Jarell Broxton, B.C.
• Martez Ivey, Edmonton
• Sean McEwen, Calgary
• Logan Ferland, Saskatchewan

East nominees:

• Brandon Revenberg, Hamilton
• Dejon Allen, Toronto
• Jacob Ruby, Ottawa
• Pier-Olivier Lestage, Montreal

Outstanding special-teams player

East nominees:

Toronto’s Javon Leake, the CFL leader in punt returns (1,153 yards) and return touchdowns (four) is the headliner.

• Tyreik McAllister, Hamilton
• Brandin Dandridge, returners, Ottawa
• Joseph Zema, punter, Montreal

West nominees:

• Sean Whyte, kicker, B.C.
• Scott Hutter, DB, Edmonton
• Rene Paredes, kicker, Calgary
• Adam Korsak, punter, Saskatchewan
• Sergio Castillo, kicker, Winnipeg

Leake, Whyte, Korsak and Castillo were unanimous picks.

Outstanding rookie

East nominees:

• Qwan’tez Stiggers, DB, Toronto (53 tackles and five interceptions in 16 games
• Taylor Powell, QB, Hamilton
• Dustin Crum, QB, Ottawa
• Reggie Stubblefield, DB, Montreal

West nominees:

• Adam Korsak, punter, Saskatchewan
• Ryder Varga, LB, B.C.
• Kai Gray, DB, Edmonton
• Clark Barnes, receiver, Calgary
• Jamieson Sheahan, punter, Winnipeg

Stiggers, Crum, Korsak and Varga were unanimous selections.