Ticats quarterback Mitchell headlines 2024 CFL all-star squad

By The Canadian Press on November 7, 2024.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback Bo Levi-Mitchell gets set to throw against the Ottawa Redblacks during CFL action in Hamilton on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. Mitchell is a CFL all-star for the third time after being named to the '24 all-star squad Thursday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Michael P. Hall

TORONTO – Bo Levi Mitchell is a CFL all-star for the third time,

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback and East Division finalist for the CFL’s outstanding player award was named to the 2024 all-star squad Thursday following a vote by the Football Reporters of Canada and nine league head coaches.

Mitchell, 34, led the CFL in pass attempts (614), completions (420), yards, (5,451), interceptions (18) and touchdowns (32). He established career highs in all categories but TDs and was named a league all-star for the first time since 2018.

The squad features nine Canadian players and 11 first-time selections. The Saskatchewan Roughriders placed a league-high five players on the team.

Tackle Stanley Bryant of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers was named a league all-star for the eighth time. He becomes the 10th player in league history to achieve eight or more selections.

Bombers running back Brady Oliveira was named to the squad for the second straight year. The Winnipeg native led the CFL in rushing with 1,353 yards and is the West Division’s nominee as the league’s outstanding player.

B.C.’s Justin McInnis, Ottawa’s Justin Hardy, Calgary’s Reggie Begelton, Edmonton’s Eugene Lewis and Hamilton’s Tim White made up the receiving corps. McInnis and Hardy are first-time league all-stars while this marks the third selection for Begelton, Lewis and White.

Joining Bryant on the offensive line are Hamilton centre David Beard, guards Logan Ferland of Saskatchewan and Ryan Hunter of Toronto and Argos tackle Dejon Allen. Beard and Ferland are first-time all-stars while Hunter and Allen were named for the second straight year.

Winnipeg end Willie Jefferson anchors a defensive line that includes Ottawa end Lorenzo Mauldin IV, Toronto’s Jake Ceresna and Saskatchewan’s Micah Johnson at tackle. Jefferson received the nod for a sixth time while Johnson received his fourth all-star selection and both Ceresna and Mauldin were voted in for the second time.

Montreal’s Tyrice Beverette, Edmonton’s Nick Anderson and Saskatchewan’s C.J. Reavis were named all-stars at linebacker all for the first time.

The secondary includes Winnipeg cornerback Tyrell Ford, Saskatchewan cornerback Marcus Sayles, Riders halfback Roland Milligan Jr., Ottawa halfback Damon Webb, and Montreal safety Marc-Antoine Dequoy. Ford, Milligan and Webb are first-time all-stars while Sayles and Dequoy are on the team for the second time.

The special-teams performers were B.C.’s Sean Whyte (kicker), Edmonton’s Jake Julien (punter) and Toronto returner Janarion Grant. This marks Julien’s first all-star nod while both Whyte and Grant are two-time selections.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024.