The CFL has announced its 2019 team winners, and, to no one’s surprise, one Tiger-Cat was a unanimous selection.
Wide receiver Brandon Banks is the team nominee for Most Outstanding Player.
The 31-year-old leads the CFL in all major receiving categories, including receptions (112), yards (1,550) and touchdowns (13). His 112 receptions set a single-season franchise record.
In addition, Banks had 13 carries for 56 yards and one rushing touchdown, 13 punt returns for 140 yards, and five missed field goal returns for 283 yards and two touchdowns.
Overall, Banks has 16 total touchdowns this season, just one shy of Chris Williams’ franchise record of 17 set in 2012.
Linebacker Simoni Lawrence was named Hamilton’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player.
That’s nothing new for the 30-year-old Lawrence, who was given the honour in 2014 and 2015.
He leads the CFL in tackles with 95, and tied a career high with three interceptions, adding four quarterback sacks, seven pass knockdowns, one fumble recovery and four tackles for loss.
He set a CFL single-game record in Week 16 at Winnipeg with 17 defensive tackles.
The Most Outstanding Canadian nominee is offensive lineman Brandon Revenberg.
He’s started 17 games at left guard for the Tiger-Cats this season and was named Hamilton’s Most Outstanding Canadian for the first time in his career.
The six-foot-four, 301-pound native of Essex, Ont., has yet to miss a game in his four-year CFL career, playing in all 74 of Hamilton’s regular season and playoff contests since 2016.
Chris Van Zeyl is the team’s Most Outstanding Lineman. The 36-year-old, six-foot-six, 312-pound native of Fonthill, Ont., has started 16 games at right tackle for the Tiger-Cats this season.
Getting the nod as Most Outstanding Special Teams Players is Frankie Williams. The five-foot-nine, 190-pound native of Tampa, Fla., has racked up some spectacular numbers. He’s first in punt return yardage with 874 yards and has 10 30-plus-yard punt returns.
He also sits fifth in the CFL with 1,894 combined yards.
Wide receiver Jaelon Acklin is Hamilton’s Most Outstanding Rookie. The native of Mountain View, Mo., has 57 receptions for 701 yards and three touchdowns.
The award recipients were selected by voting members of the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) and CFL head coaches.
The CFL awards will be handed out November 21.
The list of all the team’s nominees can be seen on the CFL’s website.