The Canadian Football League has announced the Hamilton Tiger-Cats team nominees for the 2017 CFL Awards on Wednesday.
The award recipients are selected by voting members of the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) and CFL head coaches.
In this first ballot, FRC representatives from each CFL city as well as the respective head coach submitted votes for six categories.
Voters were asked to select players from their local CFL club who, through the excellence of their on-field performances, best represent the awards’ titles – Most Outstanding Player, Most Outstanding Canadian Player, Most Outstanding Defensive Player, Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman, Most Outstanding Rookie, and Most Outstanding Special Teams Player.
The East and West Division winners for the 2017 CFL Awards will be announced on Thursday, Nov. 9.
The 2017 CFL Awards will be handed out on Thursday, Nov. 23. in Ottawa.
The Tiger-Cats nominees are:
Most Outstanding Player/Defensive Player: LB Larry Dean
Dean has registered 93 defensive tackles, one special teams tackle, three quarterback sacks, eight quarterback pressures, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, five pass knockdowns and one tackle for loss in 17 games this season.
Dean was voted as the team’s 2017 defensive team captain in just his second season in the CFL.
Most Outstanding Canadian/Offensive Lineman: OL Ryan Bomben
Bomben has started all 17 games at right guard for the Tiger-Cats so far this season.
A 6-5, 295-pound native of Burlington, Bomben was also the Tiger-Cats Most Outstanding Lineman last season and was named East Division All-Star for the first time in his career in 2016.
Most Outstanding Special Teams Player: P/K Sergio Castillo
Castillo, appeared in 14 games with the Tiger-Cats this season, converting 29 of his 34 field goal attempts (85.3 per cent) and averaging 44.9 yards per punt on 94 attempts.
He was also a perfect 5-for-5 on field goal attempts of 50-plus yards, 20-of-21 on one-point convert attempts, and currently ranks fourth overall in the CFL in both field goal percentage (85.3 per cent) and average yards per punt (44.9)
Most Outstanding Rookie: DB Richard Leonard
Leonard, has started 17 games at both cornerback and halfback for the Tiger-Cats so far in 2017, posting 71 defensive tackles, one special teams tackle, one forced fumble, three fumble recoveries, five interceptions, 12 pass knock downs and one tackle for loss. He also returned one of his fumble recoveries 84 yards for a touchdown after a blocked kick in Week 1 against Toronto.
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