Who were the top 7 Canadian players in 2025?

I didn’t think this assignment was going to be so tough.

But, as it turns out, being asked to narrow it down to the seven best Canadian players of 2025 is far more difficult than I was anticipating. So, I cheated a little bit.

We’re not including BC’s Nathan Rourke because, well, his season speaks for itself. Rourke hit the 2025 double by taking home Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian at the CFL Awards earlier this month.

We’re still leaving off players like Winnipeg’s Brady Oliveira, Hamilton’s Liam Dobson and Kiondré Smith, and BC’s Mathieu Betts.

In what may be the strongest era of Canadian talent we’ve seen in this league, here’s the list of seven players we’ve narrowed it down to.

JUSTIN MCINNIS | RECEIVER | BC LIONS

Rourke had two favourite targets on the path to MOP and MOC honours. One of them was Keon Hatcher Sr., who led the league in receiving yards. But don’t forget Justin McInnis, who followed up his breakout season in impressive fashion.

McInnis was the CFL’s leading receiver in 2024 with 1,469 yards to go along with seven touchdowns. So, to see him finish third with 1,256 yards (and another seven touchdowns) one year later reinforces McInnis as one of the league’s most dynamic and consistent receivers.

A.J. ALLEN | LINEBACKER | SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

LB A.J. Allen was part of a defence that allowed the fewest points per game in 2025 (Arthur Ward/CFL.ca)

Speaking of breakout seasons, that’s exactly what University of Guelph product A.J. Allen is coming off. In his fourth season with the Riders, the former fourth-round pick was a crucial part of Saskatchewan’s triumph in the 112th Grey Cup earlier this month. In fact, Allen racked up six defensive tackles and one more on special team as the Riders won their first title since 2013.

Slotting in at weakside linebacker all season, Allen finished fifth overall with 87 defensive tackles while forming an outstanding duo with Jameer Thurman in the middle. Along the way, Allen recorded four sacks, three interceptions, and three forced fumbles as he impacted the game in all kinds of different ways.

PIER-OLIVIER LESTAGE | OFFENSIVE LINEMAN | MONTREAL ALOUETTES

In a year full of stellar Canadian offensive lineman, we’re highlighting Pier-Olivier Lestage because he really was that good. A second-round pick of the Als in 2021, Lestage just completed his fourth CFL season and was a key part of a 10-8 finish as a stalwart at left guard.

“Counting stats” are not always readily available for offensive linemen, but Lestage was an integral piece for a Montreal team that finished second overall by allowing just 26 sacks during the regular season. And, over at Pro Football Focus, Lestage was ranked as the league’s second-best guard and finished number one in their run blocking category.

REDHA KRAMDI | LINEBACKER | WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS

LB Redha Kramdi helped the Bombers finish with the third best defence in yards and points allowed in 2025 (Andrew Mahon/CFL.ca)

With so many big-name defensive mainstays on the Bombers, a player like Redha Kramdi can sometimes fly under the radar. Quietly, though, the 2021 second-round pick from the University of Montreal has quietly turned into one of the league’s best SAM linebackers. And this year was his best yet.

Kramdi finished with 47 defensive tackles, one interception, and one forced fumble in 16 appearances. But what doesn’t necessarily show up is how consistent he was across the board. Kramdi scored elite marks in PFF’s run stopping category to pair with a solid coverage grade. All told, he was PFF’s top ranked SAM overall, ahead of mainstays like Derrick Moncrief and Adarius Pickett.

TEVAUGHN CAMPBELL | DEFENSIVE BACK | SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

What a return to Canada. After six years south of the border, Tevaughn Campbell came back to the CFL and was an instant fit with an already elite Saskatchewan secondary. Immediately placed at field corner, Campbell joined a Riders defensive backfield that included Rolan Milligan Jr., Marcus Sayles, and C.J. Reavis.

In 13 regular season appearances, Campbell tied for the league lead with six interceptions to go along with 18 defensive tackles, one fumble recovery, and one touchdown. Campbell also finished second among field corners as ranked by PFF. Oh, and let’s not forget his interception and forced fumble in a stellar performance helping Saskatchewan take home the 112th Grey Cup.

SEAN WHYTE | KICKER | BC LIONS

Already one of the most accurate kickers the league has ever seen, Sean Whyte took it to a new level in 2025. By completing 39 of 41 field goals, Whyte led the league with a 95.1 per cent conversion rate. That also happened to be the second most accurate season in CFL history, behind only Lewis Ward of the REDBLACKS (98.1 per cent) in 2018.

And the crowning moment for local product Whyte was the Western Semi-Final. Born in White Rock, Whyte won’t soon forget walking it off for the Lions at BC Place in a thrilling 33-30 win over the Calgary Stampeders.

STAVROS KATSANTONIS | DEFENSIVE BACK | HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

A 2020 fourth-round pick out of the University of British Columbia, Stavros Katsantonis has steadily grown into the CFL’s gold standard at safety. And for the first time, the rest of the league truly recognized that fact as he earned his first All-CFL honour thanks to a stellar 2025.

Katsantonis tied for the league lead with six interceptions to go along with an impressive 72 defensive tackles. And over at PFF, Katsantonis was ranked the league’s best safety for much of the season and finished neck and neck near the top of their list along with Calgary’s Damon Webb and BC’s Cristophe Beaulieu.

Who were the top 7 Canadian players in 2025?

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