One George Reed Most Outstanding Player candidate from every team

By Marshall Ferguson

The CFL’s George Reed Most Outstanding Player award is a prestigious accolade, but there are layers to it. Local media vote on nominees for each team nomination, which takes those players into the divisional voting round and then up against the top player as voted by the other division.

What I find most interesting about projecting likely team nominees is what it says about the team as a whole through six weeks.

If you can’t reasonably nominate your quarterback, things likely aren’t going great. Some teams have such great quarterback play, but one of their receivers feels like the reason for it, so they get the recognition. Meanwhile, teams with a defensive standout are likely to push that player, but it’s been a long, long time since a defender claimed the CFL’s marquee award.

With all that in mind, let’s take a look at the current clubhouse leaders for MOP from each team.

BC LIONS

NATHAN ROURKE | QUARTERBACK

I guess? Plenty of football remains for the Lions to become the beast we all expected this season, but at 1-3, with the defence and special teams struggling and the offence not reaching its perceived lofty expectations, it has to come from the offence. But where?

The door is open for James Butler to grab the nod, but he’s seventh in CFL rushing currently, while Nathan Rourke’s had some big games with more empty calories late in contests than anyone could have expected. Keon Hatcher Sr.’s numbers have followed suit.

EDMONTON ELKS

JUSTIN RANKIN | RUNNING BACK

He might be the front-runner regardless of positional perception. Justin Rankin has been lightning in a bottle this season, except that bottle has no cap, and neither does Rankin’s potential for record-setting combinations of rushing and receiving. He also seems to score with ease, as defenders’ attempts to slow him down look half-hearted in response to his elusive open-field theatrics.

CALGARY STAMPEDERS

VERNON ADAMS JR. | QUARTERBACK

At 14 touchdowns and no interceptions, plus a CFL-high 38.8 points per game, you better expect Vernon Adams Jr. to play a big part in this discussion all season long. It’s a new and refreshing evolution of Adams Jr.’s game, where he seems more willing than ever to feel things out, take what he’s given and use his legs to open up big-play chances for the Stamps. He used to force the ball downfield regardless of coverage because he knew, more often than not, he could make it work.

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