TORONTO — There’s a new top dog in the CFL as Brady Oliveira has been named the top player on CFL on TSN’s annual top 50 players list.
Sean Whyte - Lions
This list is more or less correct. And Oliveira is the top player in the league, period. But Rourke at #7 after the 2024 he had? Kenny “I haven’t played more than 13 games in four years” Lawler at #14? Austin Mack nowhere on this list? And if you’re going to say Mack had a subpar 2024 after returning from the NFL, then why is Rourke so high when his last good season was 2022?
These lists are always subjective so I don’t get very worked up about omissions or higher and lower rankings than what I would have expected, but there are a few glaring mistakes I think.
I am betting that if you told all of the GM’s that they could pick any two CFL players they wanted to start a team with that no one would pick Roland Milligan, who has been adjudged the second best player in the league. 
I also wouldn’t rank any other receiver ahead of Lawler. All you have to do is watch him play. I also certainly wouldn’t rank Tim White ahead of Begelton or Schoen. As well, for me Wynton McManis is simply the best defensive player in the league and I would start any CFL team with him as my #1 defensive pick.
Probably most egregious as far as omissions go is that not one member of the Winnipeg secondary is on the list. Winnipeg easily has the best secondary in the league and has the best DB in the league in my opinion. Last year they were the best statistically and what makes that even more amazing is that they also easily had the worst pass rush in the league. There may not be a lot of flashy stats, but they get the job done and most coaches completely avoid throwing the ball towards whomever Nichols is covering because he is simply the best. No other DB commands that kind of respect. Instead we see Milligan ranked #2, who reminds me in some ways of the riverboat gambling Houston (although he is better), who I see also didn’t make the list just as I thought. Tyrell Ford is a great corner, but is alo ranked way too high. At best he was the second best DB in Winnipeg last year, although some would argue that Holm was just as good. Sayles has been cast off by two teams already and although he had a better year last year he is nearing the end and has no business being on the list. The fact that two Hamilton DB’s are included is hilarious as even Hamilton fans will tell you that their secondary is a major weakness for their team.
In any event, not to be taken too seriously.