CFL.ca Staff
VANCOUVER — In a year dominated by defensive players across the board, Dexter McCoil still found a way to stand out. The 23-year-old earned Most Outstanding Rookie honours on Thursday night, topping Argos rookie defensive end Tristan Okpalaugo.
McCoil wasn’t just good for a rookie, however — he was among the top defensive players in the game. The Eskimos linebacker recorded 67 tackles, four sacks and tied for the league lead with six interceptions in this, his first season in the CFL, playing an important role on the Esks’ league-leading defence.
The product of the Univeristy of Tulsa ranked second in the league in total turnovers with seven and became only the 22nd player in league history to score three defensive touchdowns in a single season.
The last defensive player to win the rookie award came in 2010, when Solomon Elimimian took home the honour. McCoil becomes the first Eskimos player to be recognized as the league’s top first-year player since Shalon Baker in 1995.
The native of Metairie, La. received 48 first-place votes, earning the nod over Okpalaugo and his 12 sacks.
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More to come . . .
