3DownNation's 2025 mid-season CFL all-stars

Photo courtesy: Bob Butrym/RFB Sport Photography

It’s Week 11, which means we have reached the official mid-point of the CFL season.

Six of the nine teams have half their season behind them, while three have eight games under their belt. As such, there is no better time to look back on the first half of the year and honour those players who have come out of the gates hot, while setting the stage for the end-of-year race to awards season.

We polled 13 3DownNation contributors to see who their mid-season all-star and award selections would be. Unlike the CFL, there were no divisional requirements here; the only requirement was to vote for the best players available.

After doing the math, here are our selections for the 2025 mid-season all-stars. Make sure to tune back in tomorrow for our mid-season award winners.

* denotes National player / ** denotes Global player

QUARTERBACK: Bo Levi Mitchell, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Remember when we all thought Bo Levi Mitchell’s career was over? It seems like so long ago. The 35-year-old has picked up where he left off in the second half of 2024 and is once again setting the pace for CFL passing yards with 2,856. More impressively, he has seven times more touchdowns than interceptions with a 21:3 ratio — which means he has already produced more majors than every season between 2019 and 2023.

SECOND TEAM: Vernon Adams Jr., CGY

Photo courtesy: David Friedrich/B.C. Lions

BACKFIELD: James Butler, B.C. Lions | David Dallaire, Montreal Alouettes*

Butler came off the scrap heap in Hamilton and has leapt to the top of the pile since returning to B.C. Not only has he established himself as the CFL’s leading rusher with 704 yards and six touchdowns, but his strong receiving totals place him fifth in total yards. Dallaire snags our inaugural fullback spot due to his especially high usage, having caught seven passes for 50 yards and a touchdown in addition to his blocking role.

SECOND TEAM: Dedrick Mills, CGY | Ante Litre, HAM*

RECEIVER: Kenny Lawler, Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Damonte Coxie, Toronto Argonauts | Keon Hatcher Sr., B.C. Lions | Eugene Lewis, Ottawa Redblacks | KeeSean Johnson, Saskatchewan Roughriders

You can’t tell the story of 2025 thus far without discussing two dominant outside mismatches on opposite ends of the QEW. Lawler’s historic early pace has cooled off somewhat, but Coxie has picked up steam, as they sit one and two in both yardage and touchdowns. Hatcher is only 60 yards behind that pair and has been the league’s most targeted receiver now that he is fully healthy. Lewis continues to bring superstar vibes to a loaded Ottawa unit that hasn’t always had its top QB available, and sits tied with fellow mid-season all-star Johnson for the most second-down conversions.

SECOND TEAM: Dohnte Meyers, SSK | Kiondre Smith, HAM* | Nic Demski, WPG* | Damien Alford, CGY* | Tim White, HAM

Photo courtesy: David Friedrich/B.C. Lions

OFFENSIVE LINE: Jermarcus Hardrick, Saskatchewan Roughriders | Brendan Bordner, Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Liam Dobson, Hamilton Tiger-Cats* | Pier-Olivier Lestage, Montreal Alouettes* | Logan Ferland Saskatchewan Roughriders*

There appear to be two offensive line units that our contributors feel are especially worthy of praise this year. In Saskatchewan, right tackle Jermarcus Hardrick has been the class of the league and is an early front-runner for Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman, while centre Logan Ferland isn’t far behind him. Over in Hamilton, right guard Liam Dobson looks to be one of the signings of the year, while left tackle Brendan Bordner got lots of love for guarding Mitchell’s blind side. Alouettes left guard Pier-Olivier Lestage is the only blocker not from a division leader to make the list, as he rises into the “perennial all-star” category.

SECOND TEAM: Jarell Broxton, BC | Joshua Coker, CGY | Zack Williams, CGY* | Jacob Brammer, SSK | Coulter Woodmansey, HAM*

Photo: Montreal Alouettes

DEFENSIVE LINE: Jaylon Hutchings, Calgary Stampeders | Shawn Oakman, Montreal Alouettes | Malik Carney, Saskatchewan Roughriders | Folarin Orimolade, Calgary Stampeders

If you want to find the source of Calgary’s complete defensive turnaround this year, look no further than the defensive front. Hutchings has been a wrecking ball at defensive tackle with six sacks and may not be long for this league based on how easily he beats double teams. Meanwhile, Orimolade has continued to be an elite edge bender and pressure generator from the defensive end spot since he was acquired this offseason. Malik Carney is finally starting to get his flowers as a top-tier pass rusher in Saskatchewan with four sacks thus far, while Oakman has been a driving force behind Montreal’s pressure packages from his defensive tackle spot.

SECOND TEAM: Micah Johnson, SSK | Mike Rose, SSK | Willie Jefferson, WPG | Julian Howsare, HAM

LINEBACKER: Tyrice Beverette, Montreal Alouettes | Jameer Thurman, Saskatchewan Roughriders | Derrick Moncrief, Calgary Stampeders

While you won’t find our linebackers at the top defensive plays charts, they impact the game in ways stats can’t fully quantify. Thurman is the general in the middle of an outstanding Riders’ defence, and Beverette is a factor that has to be game-planned against when facing Montreal. Moncrief has had a resurgence for the ages since joining the Stampeders, leading the CFL with six tackles for loss. What makes each of them special is that they are stout against the run, but remain difference-makers in coverage as well.

SECOND TEAM: Jacob Roberts, CGY | Micah Awe, BC | Adarius Pickett, OTT

DEFENSIVE BACK: Adrian Greene, Calgary Stampeders* | Jamal Peters, Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Destin Talbert, Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Rolan Milligan Jr., Saskatchewan Roughriders | Stavros Katsantonis, Hamilton Tiger-Cats*

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ secondary has become a true strength this season, led by a dominant start to the year from the Bakersfield Bandit, Katsantonis, who has gotten his hands on eight passes from the safety spot — three interceptions and five knockdowns. Talbert has turned into a premier halfback after a strong end to last season, and Peters is providing shutdown coverage as a boundary corner. Elsewhere around the league, the reigning Most Outstanding Defensive Player, Milligan Jr., hasn’t slowed down at halfback, while Greene’s CFL-leading four interceptions lend credence to those who believe we should stop converting Canadian cornerbacks to safety.

SECOND TEAM: Tevaughn Campbell, SSK* | Marcus Sayles, SSK | DaShaun Amos, HAM | Jaydon Grant, CGY | Damon Webb, CGY

Photo courtesy: Edmonton Elks

SPECIALISTS: Jose Maltos Diaz, Montreal Alouettes** | Carl Meyer, B.C. Lions** | Isaiah Wooden Sr., Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Tyrell Richards, Montreal Alouettes* | Luke Burton-Krahn, Edmonton Elks*

CFL kicking has never been better, and Mexico native Maltos Diaz is right at the head of the pack with more attempts, makes, and kicks of over 50 yards than anyone else. The top punter this year hails from South Africa, as Meyer has posted a booming average along with a season-high seven inside the 10-yard line and only one rouge. Wooden’s three touchdowns make him the easy choice as returner, while Richards’ league-leading 14 special teams tackles and Burton-Krahn’s remarkable athleticism for a long-snapper separate them from the pack.

SECOND TEAM: Sergio Castillo, WPG | Cody Grace, EDM** | Kalil Pimpleton, OTT | Patrice Rene, BC* | Louis-Philippe Bourassa, MTL*

3DownNation’s 2025 mid-season CFL all-stars

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