Mauldin wins Most Outstanding Defensive Player
REGINA — For the first time in nine years, the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player award has been claimed by an East Division player.
Ottawa REDBLACKS defensive lineman Lorenzo Mauldin IV has ended the draught, becoming the first East Division player to win the award since Chip Cox did so with the Montreal Alouettes in 2013.
In what was a breakout season for the first year REDBLACK, Mauldin wreaked havoc on opposing offences. The 30-year-old helped anchor an Ottawa defence that recorded 47 sacks on the year, the second-most by any team in the league.
2022 CFL Awards
» By The Numbers: Lorenzo Mauldin IV
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Mauldin played in all 18 games for the REDBLACKS and was responsible for a league-leading 17 sacks, topping his previous career-best of three. The third-year defensive lineman also tallied 43 tackles and forced two fumbles on the year.
When reflecting on his season, Mauldin said he has a long way to go to get to the level he knows he can play at.
“I’m not done,” said Mauldin. “I have a long way to go and this way just the beginning. This season was fun, it was really fun. Just being able to have a full season of starting for a team, it was a blessing in disguise.”
One of Mauldin’s most dominant performances of the season came during Ottawa’s Week 17 matchup with the BC Lions. It was a game that saw Mauldin bully his way into the Lions’ backfield for a three-sack outing.
Asked about playing for defensive coordinator Mike Benevides, Mauldin beamed about his coach.
“Working with that man is unreal,” said Mauldin. “And I thank him to do this day, just his scheme is what got me to where I am.”
Mauldin was one of just five players with three sacks in a single game this season and the performance against BC marked the fifth time this year that he would record a multi-sack performance.
Calgary Stampeders’ defensive lineman Shawn Lemon finished as the runner-up to Mauldin for the award. Lemon was second in the league to only Mauldin with 14 sacks through the regular season.
