February 7, 2017

FA Most Wanted: Toliver a can’t-miss target

Johany Jutras/CFL.ca

TORONTO — Terrence Toliver is literally a can’t-miss target heading into free agency.

Standing at 6-foot-5, the Ticats’ receiver is one of the league’s most physically imposing receivers — and he’s without a contract beyond Feb. 14.

On the other hand, size isn’t all that stands out for the two-year CFLer. Toliver’s production rivals many of the league’s top receivers, including the 12 pass-catchers dominating CFL.ca’s Top 30 Pending Free Agents.

 

13
TERRENCE TOLIVER
REC | HAM

Patrick Doyle/CFL.ca

Terrence Toliver dominated defensive backs for the second straight season in 2016 (Patrick Doyle/CFL.ca)

FA RANKINGS
OVR – 13
TEAM – 2
POS — 6
2016 BY THE #’S
GP – 13
REC YDS – 1,036
TD – 9

 

Despite being limited to just 26 games in two years with the ‘Cats, Toliver has found the end zone 15 times and racked up 1,715 receiving yards — an average of 66 yards per game.

In 2016, Toliver reached new heights, needing only 13 games to reach the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career. With 1,036 yards over that span, Toliver averaged 79.7 yards per game in 2016 which, over a full season, would have made him the league’s fourth-leading receiver.

At 28, one of the top-ranked free agents certainly has plenty of room to ascend. He also the pedigree of an elite receiver.

At the end of his four seasons at Louisiana State, Toliver set a Cotton Bowl record with three touchdowns in a 41-24 victory over Texas A&M, earning him Most Outstanding Offensive Player honours for that game.

After college, Toliver spent four seasons in the NFL with the Houston Texans, Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears. But after failing to find a permanent spot, he joined the Ticats in 2015 and started 13 games as a CFL rookie, earning unanimous team honours for Most Outstanding Rookie.

Given his career trajectory, 2017 could be the year Toliver joins the upper elite ranks of the CFL with the likes of Adarius Bowman and Ernest Jackson — whether it’s with Hamilton or elsewhere.