Johany Jutras/CFL.ca
With training camps about to start and the pre-season on the horizon, the end of May/beginning of June is one of my favourite times on the CFL calendar.
Not only is football back, but everyone’s buzzing over the busy off-season and which teams will be affected by a plethora of moves. There’s so much season preview material to consume, from the annual TSN Top 50 Players list to the pre-season power rankings put forth by fans and media alike.
One new addition to the pre-season prognostications is the first ever CFL Media Poll, which asks questions like ‘which team will win the West Division?’, and ‘Who will win Most Outstanding Player?’
The poll closes on Monday and the answers will be made public on Thursday, May 24.
2018 CFL MEDIA POLL
Keep it locked to CFL.ca on Thursday, May 24 for results from the inaugural pre-season media poll, as media from across the country weigh in on questions from around the league heading into the 2018 season.
Predictions, while taken with a grain of salt at this time of year, are always fun. I enjoy scanning Twitter to see everyone’s Grey Cup picks because there are so many different perspectives, especially in a league with nine relatively evenly-matched teams.
I put some thought into the 21 questions and picked my division winners, Most Outstanding Canadian, top breakout player and everything else. But there was one question that really got me thinking:
If you were starting a franchise today and could sign any player in the CFL, who would your first selection be and why?
Wow! How much time do you have?
I love this question because it’s probably the most ambiguous thing you can ask in this league. And there’s no right answer! Compare it to basketball where there was always Jordan and now there’s LeBron. In hockey you could always point to Orr, Bossy, Gretzky, Crosby. Even in the NFL, no one has dominated the game for such a long period of time as Tom Brady during his reign with the New England Patriots.
The question is just open to so much interpretation, and really forces you to think about which factors you’re prioritizing because there are positives and negatives for every single player.
Do you have to pick a quarterback? If so, that’s going to narrow down your choices significantly. But as good as Mike Reilly and Bo Levi Mitchell have been, are you confident in starting your franchise with Reilly, who’s 33, or Mitchell, who’s dealt with some shoulder problems in his last year?
You could look for the ‘next one’, with a 25-year-old Jonathon Jennings or a 26-year-old James Franklin. But Franklin has never been a regular starter before and brings along with him fear of the unknown. And Jennings, mesmerizing as he is, is coming off a season in which he threw more interceptions (19) than touchdowns (16).
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Jonathon Jennings is putting it on himself to bounce back from a forgettable 2017 (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
You could also go off the board. Andrew Harris comes to mind as a ratio-breaker at running back, one that can carry an entire offence. Or you could go with the younger James Wilder Jr., who almost carried the Argos on his back on their way to a Grey Cup.
If you’re starting a franchise and trying to sell tickets, what about Duron Carter? Does anyone in the CFL have more entertainment value than the man who promised a pick-six against one of the league’s best quarterbacks in his first start as a DB — and came through on his word?
On the defensive side, does any player impact the game like linebacker Alex Singleton, a Canadian to boot? Perhaps Willie Jefferson, the defensive end in Saskatchewan who might just be unstoppable in a one-on-one matchup.
I’m curious to see the results for all of the poll questions and specifically this one when it all hits CFL.ca on Thursday. For now, here are some of my favourite options, including my pick for player I’d start a franchise with:
Bo Levi Mitchell — QB, Calgary
From my vantage point this is the obvious pick. The best winning percentage so far of any quarterback in CFL history. He’s 28 years old and was just a couple of plays away from having three Grey Cup rings already. The work ethic and desire to constantly seek self-improvement is stands out. The shoulder concerns me a little bit, but Mitchell says he’s healthy and in better shape than ever, shedding 20 pounds in the off-season. I’m going with what I know and taking the best mix of talent, experience and youthfulness.
Mike Reilly — QB, Edmonton
Probably the best quarterback in the CFL right now, yet his most impressive quality might be his leadership. Reilly’s teammates will go to war with him any day of the week. He’s five years older than Bo Levi Mitchell, but many quarterbacks have played into their late-30s in the CFL — look at Henry Burris and Ricky Ray. If I can get five more good years of Mike Reilly, I can easily build a franchise around that.
Despite not winning the Grey Cup, Mike Reilly is coming off the best season of his career (The Canadian Press)
James Franklin — QB, Toronto
There’s something alluring in what we don’t know. Mystery appeals to us. That’s James Franklin, an example of how this kind of discussion can be so much fun. For Franklin, being stuck behind Mike Reilly and Ricky Ray on the depth chart in his career has been both a blessing and a curse. Not many lists would place Franklin’s name alongside those of Mike Reilly and Bo Levi Mitchell, but the 26-year-old is on track to become the next big star in the CFL. Our imaginations can run away a little bit when thinking about untapped potential and Franklin’s ceiling is massive. This is of course no disrespect to Ricky Ray, one of the all-time greats whose career is winding down.
James Wilder Jr. — RB, Toronto
Conventional wisdom tells us don’t pick an American running back here, but Wilder makes an exception. When he had his breakout game last September and took over the Argos’ backfield on a full-time basis, the team never looked back, winning seven of nine games including the 105th Grey Cup. Wilder is a human wrecking ball with an ultra-rare blend of size, speed and recklessness. He also averaged 7.1 yards per carry last year. The Argos’ back has a legitimate chance to become the first running back to win MOP since Mike Pringle did it in 1998.
Andrew Harris — RB, Winnipeg
A running back that threatens to hit the 1,000-1,000 mark every season, and he’s Canadian? Andrew Harris is a true ratio-breaker in the three-down game, providing elite talent at a position generally occupied by an American. I’m probably shying away because at age 31, the window might be closing on him being as productive as he’s been. But I wouldn’t argue with the decision to start your franchise with the player that’s become the heart and soul of the Bombers’ recent success.
Duron Carter — WR, Saskatchewan
Speaking of selling tickets, Duron Carter is worth the price of admission on and off the field. He is both an entertainer and a football player, whether he’s calling someone out on Twitter or making the catch of the year in the back of the end zone. When considering Duron as the face of your franchise, I’ll remind you of the time that he lined up on punt teams as a member of the Montreal Alouettes and blocked a punt, tracked down the loose ball and evaded several defenders on his way to the end zone. The most physically-gifted and talented player in the CFL.
For all his antics off the field, Duron Carter is always productive between the lines (Arthur Ward/CFL.ca)
Derel Walker — WR, Edmonton
It feels like we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Derel Walker and his immense talent. The Eskimos’ receiver is averaging 88 yards per game throughout his young career, and he’s just entering his prime at 26 years old. Another factor for American receivers in the CFL is their interest in pursuing NFL opportunities, but it appears Walker might be here to stay after trying his luck with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year. It’s not often you can build an offence around one receiver but Walker is worthy of that discussion.
Diontae Spencer — WR, Ottawa
Possibly the most exciting player in the CFL. The fastest, too. Exhibit A was last year’s record-breaking performance against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, in which Spencer racked up just shy of 500 all-purpose yards. On the other hand, he’s barely started to see his potential as a receiver. There could be so much more on the way. Spencer is a playmaker in every sense of the word and the type of player that will sell you a lot of tickets.
Alex Singleton — LB, Calgary
Singleton checks off pretty much every box you can think of for this criteria, other than he’s not a quarterback. He’s 24 years old. He’s Canadian. Both of his CFL seasons have been productive, including 2017 when he was named the Most Outstanding Defensive Player in just his second year. Alex Singleton is a player CFL fans will be talking about for a very long time, and his career is just getting started.
Willie Jefferson — DE, Saskatchewan
As long as he’s playing in Chris Jones’ system, the numbers aren’t going to do justice what Willie Jefferson brings to the table. Jefferson takes on a ton of double teams in the Riders’ three-man rush, yet still manages to make life a living hell for opposing quarterbacks. There may not be a better athlete on the defensive side of the ball than the 27-year-old, who has undoubtedly played role in the Riders going from last place to perennial contender.
