Awards season! It’s almost here.

With just four weeks left to go in the 2025 CFL regular season, we are well within an acceptable timeframe of opining about who should get what. And why.

I’ve been tasked with handicapping the All-CFL quarterback sweepstakes, where just one man can take the honour. So, here’s my ranking of the five QBs most deserving of being named to the All-CFL team.

As things stand now, lol. It’s pretty tight, I’d say.

By the way, I am solidly — I do mean solidly — in the “Wins are not a quarterback stat” camp. Wins are a team statistic. Period. So, number of victories is not something that was considered for this list.

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Fans’ All-CFL ballots will include one player at each position for a total of 10 players per ballot.

NATHAN ROURKE | BC LIONS

 

As was expected by most, Nathan Rourke’s 2025 has gone much better than did his return to the CFL, part way through last season.

In 13 starts, Rourke has piled up nine games of 300 or more passing yards tying him for top spot in that category and his total yardage on the season (4,170) ranks him third in the CFL, just 236 yards short of the league leader, Hamilton’s Bo Levi Mitchell, in two fewer starts.

Rourke is second in efficiency rating (109.0), third in touchdown passes (23) and he leads the league in completions of 30-plus yards, with 28. He is tops in long-ball yardage (20-plus yards) with 1,337 and has a completion percentage in that same category of 58.3, which is best among any CFL quarterback with 200 or more pass attempts.

What really sets Rourke apart from all other candidates is what he’s accomplished on the ground. With 455 yards rushing, he is by far and away the top QB on this list in that category. In fact, Rourke stands eighth overall in league rushing.

BO LEVI MITCHELL | HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

 

Bo Levi Mitchell has built on his 2024 East Division Most Outstanding Player campaign with another tremendous season in 2025.

Tops in the CFL in passing yards (4,406), Mitchell has jacked up a league-high 531 attempts in his 15 starts, completing 68.5 percent of his throws. Like Rourke, he has nine 300-plus yard games on his stat sheet, and leads the league in touchdown passes with 28, while standing fifth in efficiency rating (105.1). His interception percentage is a teeny 1.5 (eight in 531 attempts).

While Mitchell’s long-ball (20-plus yards) completion percentage stands at 40.9 percent (Rourke leads at 58.3 percent), he has attempted more of these passes than anyone, with a total of 93 (Rourke: 60).

Mitchell has been especially good in red zone production in 2025, topping out over all passers with 18 touchdown strikes and standing third in completion percentage (74.1) and second in yards (328).

NICK ARBUCKLE | TORONTO ARGONAUTS

 

Standing second in passing yardage (4,370), last year’s Grey Cup MVP has really lit things up after a slow first handful of weeks in 2025.

With eight 300-plus yard games in 14 starts to his credit, Nick Arbuckle stands just behind Rourke and Mitchell in that category.

Arbuckle is second in touchdown passes (26), and big play completions (30-plus yards) with 27, and he stands first in completed passes (365), connecting on 72.6 percent of his throws. He leads everyone on this list with a 77.4 red zone completion percentage.

While ranking sixth in efficiency (103.6) Arbuckle can lay claim to being the owner of the league’s top yardage game in 2025, with his 443-yard outing against the BC Lions, in Week 12.

What makes Arbuckle’s season all the more impressive is that he’s done it while generally being harassed more than any other quarterback in the league, being sacked 38 times.

TREVOR HARRIS | SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

 

The absolute model of consistency, Trevor Harris is once again having a methodical, impressive season of slinging the rock.

Standing third in efficiency (107.3), he is once again among league leaders in percentage, completing 72.0 percent of his 400 throws so far in 2025.

He has four 300-plus yard games in 13 starts and ranks fourth in total passing yards with 3,756, completing 25 big-play throws of 30 or more yards. His long-ball (20 or more yards) completion percentage of 54.5 is second to Rourke’s.

Harris’ numbers are All-CFL worthy on their face and even more worthy when you consider that he’s accrued them in a season in which he’s done it with the likes of starting receivers Kian Schaffer-Baker, Shawn Bane Jr. and Samuel Emilus out of the lineup much of the time.

That’s a testament to not only him, but to the depth of receiving talent on the Roughriders’ roster.

CODY FAJARDO | EDMONTON ELKS

 

Cody Fajardo has been simply splendid for the Edmonton Elks since taking over as the starter back in Week 8.

Tops in the CFL in completion percentage (76.1), efficiency rating (113.5) touchdown to interception ratio (4:1) and interception percentage (1.0), the 2023 Grey Cup MVP stands sixth in passing yardage with 2,764.

Based on his performance over 10 starts, you can easily surmise just where his totals would likely be had he been Edmonton’s QB1 from the get-go in 2025.

And like Arbuckle, Fajardo’s stats pop a bit more when you consider he’s been under pressure, sacked 34 times in 2025.