Six players from the Saskatchewan Roughriders have been nominated for the 2019 CFL Awards.
The team announced the nominees on Wednesday.
First-year starting quarterback Cody Fajardo, 27, was chosen unanimously for most outstanding player.
The California native made his first CFL start on June 20 against the Ottawa Redblacks with Saskatchewan. He has played in 17 games so far this season, helping lead the Riders to a 12-5 record.
Fajardo leads the league with 4,302 passing yards. He has also thrown 18 touchdowns and added 611 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.
Charleston Hughes, 35, was given the nod as the team’s most outstanding defensive player.
The Saginaw, Mich., native has a league-leading 15 sacks in 16 games. The defensive lineman is ranked eighth all-time for sacks in the CFL with 129.
Hughes was previously nominated for this award in 2012, 2013 and 2016 with the Calgary Stampeders, and was the west finalist in 2013.
Saskatchewan’s most outstanding special-teams player is punter Jon Ryan.
After his career in the NFL, the 37-year-old Regina native signed with the Roughriders this year to make 104 punts with a 49 yards-per-punt average. His longest punt this season was 77 yards.
Running back Corey Holmes was the last Rider to win CFL’s most outstanding special-teams player in 2005.
Montreal-born Cameron Judge was a unanimous selection for most outstanding Canadian.
The 24-year-old linebacker established a career-high 59 tackles, 12 special teams tackles, five sacks, one interception and a forced fumble in 16 games.
The last time the CFL named a Rider winner of the outstanding Canadian category was receiver Andy Fantuz in 2010.
Dan Clark, 31, was unanimously nominated for most outstanding offensive lineman.
After overcoming injuries from a serious car crash just before the start of 2019 training camp, the Regina native went on to play in every contest so far this season, including his 100th CFL game on July 27 against the BC Lions.
The club said the veteran leader for the offensive line anchored a fierce group this season that allowed just 35 sack and also opened holes for their run game, which has a league-high 25 rushing touchdowns.
Dakoda Shepley, 24, was a unanimous decision most outstanding rookie.
He made his CFL debut on June 13 and has played in all 17 games so far this season.
Shepley has worked hard for his place as a rookie on the established offensive line and continues to impress on a line full of CFL veterans that has the third-best rushing average in the league, according to the club.
The East and West Division winners will be decided on Nov. 7. The CFL Awards will be determined in a third round of voting and will be announced on Nov. 21 in Calgary.
Saskatchewan hosts its last regular-season game on Nov. 2 against the Edmonton Eskimos.
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