Eugene Lewis is set to continue his journey toward making it into the CFL record books.
This Thursday, Lewis, playing for the Ottawa Redblacks, will kick off the 2025 season against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. At 32 years old, Lewis joined Ottawa through free agency after two successful seasons with the Edmonton Elks.
Last season, Lewis, who stands six feet tall and weighs 200 pounds, finished strong. He achieved touchdown receptions in the last eight games of the regular season, breaking his former club’s record of seven and tying the overall franchise record for consecutive games with any touchdown.
In order to equal Hall of Famer Terry Evanshen’s CFL record of 10 consecutive games with a touchdown catch, Lewis must score in Ottawa’s first two games.
The former Penn State star has tallied 398 receptions for 6,261 yards and 41 touchdowns across 97 regular-season games. He was honored as the East Division’s outstanding player in 2022 after achieving 91 catches for 1,303 yards and 10 touchdowns with Montreal.
Lewis isn’t the only player to watch in the CFL this season. Others include:
- Jake Ceresna and Robbie Smith from Edmonton, who were key in Toronto achieving the highest number of sacks last year at 48. Both Ceresna and his teammate Ralph Holley accomplished eight sacks, tying them for the league lead, while Smith recorded six for the Grey Cup champions.
- Brady Oliveira of Winnipeg, the league’s top Canadian and outstanding player last season, who claimed a second consecutive rushing title with 1,353 yards and also led with 1,829 yards from scrimmage.
- Tyrice Beverette and Darnell Sankey from Montreal, with Beverette being recognized as the East Division’s top defensive player having 137 defensive plays, including 102 tackles, and adding five sacks, four forced fumbles, and two interceptions. Sankey recorded 107 tackles with one sack and an interception.
- Adarius Pickett from Ottawa was an East Division all-star last year, despite only playing 13 games due to an Achilles injury, which resulted in 52 tackles, 14 special teams tackles, a sack, an interception, and a forced fumble.
- Nick Anderson from Edmonton emerged as the league’s top rookie last season with 111 defensive tackles, equal to teammate Nyles Morgan, and ranked second in total tackles at 116.
- Roland Milligan Jr. with the Saskatchewan Roughriders was recognized as the league’s top defensive player, leading in interceptions and defensive takeaways with eight each and also making 111 defensive plays.
- Folarin Orimolade from Calgary, after assisting Toronto in winning a second Grey Cup in three years, returned to Calgary where he started his CFL career, contributing six sacks and one interception last season.
- Cam Judge returns to Toronto after a stint with Calgary, where he had a solid performance with 73 tackles and a sack last season.
- Mathieu Betts from B.C. Lions, who excelled as last year’s defensive player, returns after a brief release from the NFL, aiming to regain his 2023 form.
- Greg Bell from Hamilton Tiger-Cats is now the starting running back after a strong past season where he amassed 625 yards and six touchdowns.
- William Stanback joining Ottawa is looking to build on his previous season’s success where he rushed for 1,175 yards.
- Toronto Argonauts’ Janarion Grant led the CFL in punt return statistics and was named the top special-teams player.
- Joe Maltos from Montreal, who took over as the team’s leading kicker, maintained an impressive 91.7% kicking accuracy last season.
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