MMQB: 6 mid-season Most Outstanding Player candidates

With a great Week 11 complete, we are now officially more than halfway through the 2025 season.

And after presenting some “non-traditional” award winners for last week’s MMQB, this week we’re focusing on the league’s top individual honour: Most Outstanding Player.

With an incredible amount of difficulty narrowing things down, we’ve got six leading MOP candidates at the midway mark. Of note, three of our highlighted players are quarterbacks, which seems fair knowing the position has won this award a little under 60 per cent of the time since 1953.

It’s also important to note we’re shining the spotlight on six players, but that doesn’t mean players not highlighted are necessarily “trailing” in this race.

Also in the mix:

Damonte Coxie (receiver, Toronto Argonauts)
Adrian Greene (defensive back, Calgary Stampeders)
Keon Hatcher (receiver, BC Lions)
Tyrice Beverette (linebacker, Montreal Alouettes)
Vernon Adams Jr. (quarterback, Calgary Stampeders)
Jameer Thurman (linebacker, Saskatchewan Roughriders)

BO LEVI MITCHELL | QUARTERBACK | HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

Bo Levi Mitchell is listed first because he would be our choice for this award at the midway mark. Even after his toughest outing of the season in Saturday’s 29-9 loss to Saskatchewan, Mitchell is having a campaign worthy of a third career MOP nod. On top of that, the Tiger-Cats are having a resurgent season and remain on top of the East Division.

The raw numbers are beyond impressive. Mitchell leads the league with 3,057 passing yards and 21 touchdowns, which looks even better when you consider he’s thrown just five interceptions. On pace to set a career high in passing yards for a second straight season, Mitchell’s return to form is one of the better CFL feel-good stories in recent years.

TREVOR HARRIS | QUARTERBACK | SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

I’m not sure where Trevor Harris would sit on most ballots if they were being cast right now, but for me he’d finish a close second to Mitchell. After all, Harris is having the best statistical season of his career while the Riders have put together the league’s best record at 8-1.

Harris leads the league with a 75.5 per cent completion rate and an absurd 121.6 quarterback rating to go along with 2,490 passing yards and 16 touchdowns. Already one of the most accurate pivots in CFL history, Harris extended his record of consecutive games over 70 per cent passing to 12 games in Saturday’s statement win over Hamilton.

JAMES BUTLER | RUNNING BACK | BC LIONS

James Butler’s return to BC, where his CFL career started in 2021, has been nothing short of outstanding. With a pair of 1,000-yard seasons already under his belt, Butler has been the league’s best tailback this season while being a huge steadying force in what’s been an up-and-down campaign for the Lions.

Butler leads the league with 785 rushing yards, while his 5.5 yards-per-carry average is also number one amongst players with 50 or more carries. And when you consider his receiving totals, Butler’s contributions become that much more impressive. With 245 receiving yards, Butler’s numbers rise to 1,030 offensive yards and seven total touchdowns.

JAYLON HUTCHINGS | DEFENSIVE TACKLE | CALGARY STAMPEDERS

TAKEN DOWN!

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You don’t often see interior linemen in MOP conversations, which just underlines how stellar a season Jaylon Hutchings is having. We haven’t seen a defensive tackle named Most Outstanding Defensive Player since Calgary’s Joe Fleming in 2003, and Hutchings has a great chance to end that streak. He’d be our mid-season choice for the award.

Hutchings has been dominant in his first full season with the Stamps after joining the team under the radar in October. Despite being doubled on a regular basis, Hutchings sits tied for second overall with six sacks to go along with 24 defensive tackles. In addition, Hutchings has been rated the best interior lineman at Pro Football Focus for much of the season.

KENNY LAWLER | RECEIVER | HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

In a year full of great performances at receiver (see Coxie and Hatcher Sr.), we’re highlighting Kenny Lawler because he’s been just a cut above. In his first season with Hamilton, Lawler leads the CFL with eight touchdown catches and an 18.4 average per reception while sitting third with 845 receiving yards.

And perhaps most impressive is how Lawler has performed in an offence rife with targets. Remember, the Ticats also boast the likes of Tim White, Kiondré Smith, and last year’s East Division Most Outstanding Rookie Shemar Bridges. Despite that, Lawler has been a dominant force even with three Hamilton receivers at 67 or more targets.

NATHAN ROURKE | QUARTERBACK | BC LIONS

The final quarterback on our list, it feels like a dead heat between Nathan Rourke and Adams Jr. to slot in behind the two quarterbacks previously highlighted. And we’re giving Rourke a VERY slim edge due to slightly better counting stats over similar workloads.

Back in the CFL for his first full season since 2022, Rourke sits third overall with 2,686 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, and a 110.4 quarterback rating. Rourke’s two touchdowns and 269 yards on the ground only add to his case. Likely the frontrunner for Most Outstanding Canadian, Rourke also firmly belongs in the MOP conversation.

MMQB: 6 mid-season Most Outstanding Player candidates

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