Johany Jutras
TORONTO — It looks like the new season will start the same way 2015 ended; with Mike Reilly on top.
The Grey Cup Most Valuable Player was ranked number one on TSN’s list of the top 50 CFL players, which was revealed on Tuesday night as part of TSN’s annual preview show.
Last year’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player Adam Bighill checks in at second, while quarterbacks Bo Levi Mitchell, Henry Burris and Zach Collaros round out the top five. Burris ranks fourth on the list despite winning Most Outstanding Player last season and leading the Ottawa REDBLACKS to an appearance in the 103rd Grey Cup Championship.
Three members of the Grey Cup-winning Eskimos sit in the top 10 as Reilly is joined by receivers Adarius Bowman and Derel Walker, while the REDBLACKS and Alouettes top all teams with seven players each in the top 50.
Meanwhile, joining Bighill as defensive players in the top 10 are defensive ends Jamaal Westerman and John Bowman. Westerman and Bowman ranked second and first in the league respectively last season in sacks and have shown no signs of slowing down heading into 2016.
Also notable: SirVincent Rogers checks in at 11 after overtaking Jovan Olafioye as the top-ranked O-lineman; Ricky Ray gets the benefit of the doubt as he looks to return to form after missing most of 2015; Solomon Elimimian is the 14th-ranked player and third-ranked linebacker after returning from a season-ending Achilles injury last year; last year’s leading rusher Tyrell Sutton is the 18th-ranked player and second-ranked running back behind Harris; and finally, all nine projected starting quarterbacks rank in the top 50, including Drew Willy (45) and Kevin Glenn (46).
Distribution by Team:
Ottawa REDBLACKS – 7
Montreal Alouettes – 7
Edmonton Eskimos – 6
Winnipeg Blue Bombers – 6
Hamilton Tiger-Cats – 6
Toronto Argonauts – 5
Saskatchewan Roughriders – 5
BC Lions – 5
Calgary Stampeders – 3
1. Mike Reilly, QB
Edmonton Eskimos
2. Adam Bighill, LB
BC Lions
3. Bo Levi Mitchell, QB
Calgary Stampeders
4. Henry Burris, QB
Ottawa REDBLACKS
5. Zach Collaros, QB
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
6. Andrew Harris, RB
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
7. Adarius Bowman, REC
Edmonton Eskimos
8. Derel Walker, REC
Edmonton Eskimos
9. Jamaal Westerman, DE
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
10. John Bowman, DE
Montreal Alouettes
11. SirVincent Rogers, OL
Ottawa REDBLACKS
12. Ricky Ray, QB
Toronto Argonauts
13. Ted Laurent, DT
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
14. Simoni Lawrence, LB
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
15. Jovan Olafioye, OL
BC Lions
16. Emmanuel Arceneaux, REC
BC Lions
17. Solomon Elimimian, LB
BC Lions
18. Tyrell Sutton, RB
Montreal Alouettes
19. Brandon Banks, RET/REC
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
20. S.J. Green, REC
Montreal Alouettes
21. Almondo Sewell, DT
Edmonton Eskimos
22. Chris Williams, REC
Ottawa REDBLACKS
23. Jerome Messam, RB
Calgary Stampeders
24. Winston Venable, LB
Montreal Alouettes
25. Charleston Hughes, DE
Calgary Stampeders
26. Darian Durant, QB
Saskatchewan Roughriders
27. Abdul Kanneh, DB
Ottawa REDBLACKS
28. Brendon Labatte, OL
Saskatchewan Roughriders
29. Odell Willis, DE
Edmonton Eskimos
30. Luke Tasker, REC
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
31. Jonathon Jennings, QB
BC Lions
32. Justin Medlock, K
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
33. Jon Gott, OL
Ottawa REDBLACKS
34. Jeff Knox Jr., LB
Saskatchewan Roughriders
35. Greg Ellingson, REC
Ottawa REDBLACKS
36. Jeff Perrett, OL
Montreal Alouettes
37. Justin Capicciotti, DE
Saskatchewan Roughriders
38. Duron Carter, REC
Montreal Alouettes
39. Keon Raymond, DB
Toronto Argonauts
40. Brandon Whitaker, RB
Toronto Argonauts
41. Vidal Hazelton, REC
Toronto Argonauts
42. Pat Watkins, DB
Edmonton Eskimos
43. Emanuel Davis, DB
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
44. Shawn Lemon, DE
Saskatchewan Roughriders
45. Drew Willy, QB
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
46. Kevin Glenn, QB
Montreal Alouettes
47. Ryan Smith, REC
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
48. Brad Sinopoli, REC
Ottawa REDBLACKS
49. Josh Bourke, OL
Toronto Argonauts
50. Weston Dressler, REC
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
