• Montreal sets the standard with star power and depth at linebacker: Tyrice Beverette, Darnell Sankey and Najee Murray lead a dominant group that excels in all phases of the game.

• Several teams enter the season with major questions at linebacker: Calgary, Hamilton and British Columbia all feature unproven players or veterans coming off down years.

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Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes

With the 2025 CFL season officially underway, depth charts are settling and roles are taking shape. As part of our continuing series evaluating every team’s positional strength, we’re shifting our focus to the heart of the defense — the linebackers.

This group is often the backbone of a CFL defense, tasked with run support, pass coverage and everything in between. From rangy playmakers to hard-hitting run-stuffers, we’re breaking down how each team stacks up at the position heading into the new campaign.

1. MONTREAL ALOUETTES

• Projected Starters: Tyrice Beverette, Darnell Sankey, Najee Murray
• Key Depth Players: Geoffrey Cantin-Arku, Tyrell Richards

It’s no surprise to see the Alouettes top this list, as they boast not only star power at linebacker but also exceptional depth as well. Tyrice Beverette, a Most Outstanding Player candidate last season, anchors the group. He’s the only linebacker over the past three years to earn at least a 75.0 grade in run defense, pass rush and coverage.

Darnell Sankey is a tackling machine, finishing with 157 total tackles last season and a missed tackle rate of just 8.0%. Najee Murray continues to shine at SAM linebacker, posting coverage grades of 75.2 and 76.1 over the past two seasons.

Even behind the starters, there’s talent. Geoffrey Cantin-Arku showed significant promise as a rookie, earning a 70.2 overall grade across 546 snaps. He’s poised for an expanded role this year, potentially as part of a rotation to keep the unit fresh for a postseason run.

2. WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS

• Projected Starters: Tony Jones, Kyrie Wilson, Redha Kramdi
• Key Depth Players: Jonathan Jones, Connor Shay, Jaylen Smith

While no individual starter on the Blue Bombers’ linebacker corps stood out as a star last season, their collective consistency is what earns them such a high ranking. All three finished the year with an overall grade above 71.0.

Tony Jones was one of the league’s top run defenders, posting an 82.7 grade in that area. Kyrie Wilson missed most of the regular season due to injury, but before going down, he was tied for second in the CFL with 50 total tackles and led the league with 20 solo stops.

Redha Kramdi contributed solidly in coverage, forcing seven incompletions and earning a strong 73.8 coverage grade. That kind of dependable play in the middle of the defense is invaluable, especially with promising rookies Connor Shay and Jaylen Smith, the team’s top two draft picks, learning behind them. Both could develop into standout players under the guidance of this veteran group.

3. TORONTO ARGONAUTS

• Projected Starters: Cameron Judge, Wynton McManis, Donald Rutledge Jr. 
• Key Depth Players: Isaac Darkangelo, Ryder Varga

The Argonauts earn their spot this high largely because of who anchors the middle of their defense: Wynton McManis, a three-time Grey Cup champion and two-time All-Star. McManis led the CFL last season with a 92.7 coverage grade and his 91.1 overall grade across the past three seasons tops all linebackers.

Returning to Toronto is Cameron Judge, who spent the last three years in Calgary. Judge had a rough 2024, posting a 47.5 overall grade and a 23% missed tackle rate, but his 76.3 grade and 13% missed tackle rate across the two prior seasons give the Argos hope that he can bounce back.

Donald Rutledge Jr. hasn’t played in the CFL since 2022, but he graded out well during that stint and has since maintained a solid level of play in the USFL and UFL. If needed, Varga offers support against the run — his 74.3 grade last season gives the Argos a reliable first-down option off the bench.

4. OTTAWA REDBLACKS

• Projected Starters: Jovan Santos-Knox, Davion Taylor, Adarius Pickett
• Key Depth Players: Frankie Griffin, Robert Priester

Good luck trying to run the ball against this Redblacks linebacking corps. Jovan Santos-Knox leads all CFL linebackers with an 88.6 run-defense grade over the past three seasons. Right behind him? Adarius Pickett, with an 88.0. The key difference between the two is in coverage, where Pickett has excelled with a 91.0 grade, while Santos-Knox has lagged behind at 54.7.

Pickett is widely considered the premier SAM linebacker in the league, and if Santos-Knox can elevate his coverage performance, this duo has the potential to be the league’s best. Davion Taylor endured a tough first season in the CFL, finishing with a 58.4 overall grade, but now with a full year of experience under his belt, improvement seems likely.

Veteran Frankie Griffin brings depth, though he’s graded below 60.0 in each of the past three seasons.

5. SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

• Projected Starters: C.J. Avery, Jameer Thurman, C.J. Reavis
• Key Depth Players: A.J. Allen

Much like the Redblacks, the Roughriders field a formidable run-stopping trio at linebacker. C.J. Reavis posted the third-highest run defense grade among all linebacker and secondary players in the CFL last year at 85.4.

Jameer Thurman wasn’t far behind, ranking 13th at 79.1, while also recording 36 defensive stops, the second-most in the league. C.J. Avery rounds out the group with a 78.4 run-defense grade, good for 15th. However, all three linebackers have struggled in coverage, with Thurman’s 59.0 coverage grade being the best among them.

That lack of top-tier coverage ability is what holds them back from being considered among the CFL’s elite linebacker units. Behind them, A.J. Allen is a standout special teamer, though he’s logged just 307 defensive snaps over the past three seasons.

6. EDMONTON ELKS

• Projected Starters: Nyles Morgan, Nick Anderson, Emmanuel Rugamba
• Key Depth Players: Joel Dublanko, D.K. Bonhomme

What Nick Anderson accomplished last season was nothing short of remarkable. The rookie stepped into a starting role for the Elks and quickly became a dominant presence, leading the league with 41 solo stops and earning a stellar 90.8 run-defense grade.

His performance rightly earned him the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie award. At the SAM linebacker spot, Emmanuel Rugamba has been a steady contributor, compiling a 71.0 overall grade over the past three seasons. The biggest concern for this group is Nyles Morgan. Despite surpassing 100 tackles in each of the past two seasons, his 29.1 coverage grade over that span ranks last among all linebackers.

First overall pick Joel Dublanko played sparingly on defense last year, but this unit’s ceiling may depend on his development into a reliable starter in 2025.

7. BRITISH COLUMBIA LIONS

• Projected Starters: Micah Awe, Ben Hladik, Deontai Williams
• Key Depth Players: Adam Auclair, Josh Woods

Linebacker play hasn’t been a strength for the Lions in recent seasons, prompting a few offseason moves aimed at turning the tide. Ben Hladik returns after the best run-defending season of his career, finishing with an excellent 83.8 run defense grade.

However, his 41.3 coverage grade ranked among the lowest in the league, leaving a major gap in his all-around impact. Former Stampeder Micah Awe joins the unit, but his three-year overall grade of 56.9 places him near the bottom of the league. The addition of Deontai Williams offers some optimism, as he was one of the few linebackers to post both a run-defense and coverage grade above 73.0 last season.

Josh Woods also brings value as a depth piece, having performed solidly in a backup role over the past three years. Still, unless Hladik takes a meaningful step forward in coverage and Awe rebounds from recent struggles, this unit may continue to lag behind the league’s top linebacker corps.

8. HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

• Projected Starters: Kyle Wilson, Rayshawn Wilborn, Branden Dozier
• Key Depth Players: Devin Veresuk, Ryan Baker

The Tiger-Cats made a concerted effort to bolster their defense this offseason, highlighted by the addition of veteran SAM linebacker Branden Dozier. He joins a group anchored by longtime starter Kyle Wilson, who is looking to rebound from a disappointing 2024 campaign that saw him post a 50.6 overall grade.

Rayshawn Wilborn steps into a full-time starting role after a strong showing last season, particularly against the run, where his 80.7 grade ranked among the league’s best. Dozier’s presence could be a meaningful upgrade, but his recent trajectory is cause for concern, as his overall grade has declined steadily from 72.5 in 2022 to 65.3 in 2023 and then to just 54.0 last year. A turnaround in form will be crucial if the TiCats hope to revitalize their defensive unit.

Rookie linebacker Devin Veresuk, the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft, could also push for a starting role as the season progresses.

9. CALGARY STAMPEDERS

• Projected Starter: Marquel Lee, Micah Teitz, Derrick Moncrief
• Key Depth Players: Gary Johnson Jr., Jacob Roberts

The Stampeders’ linebacker group enters the 2025 season as one of the most uncertain in the league. The unit lacks proven impact players and is short on experience, raising serious concerns about its ability to anchor the defense. Marquel Lee played in just three games last year and graded out at 55.1 overall, nearly identical to the 50.1 mark he posted during the 2024 UFL season.

Micah Teitz saw limited action in 2024 after struggling the previous year with a 50.0 overall grade. Derrick Moncrief brings some stability as a run defender, earning a 73.0 grade in that area, but his struggles in coverage (59.0 grade) limit his overall effectiveness. Depth is also an issue, with backups Gary Johnson Jr. and Jacob Roberts combining for just 90 defensive snaps over the past three seasons.

For Calgary’s defense to avoid being a liability, they’ll need multiple players from this group to take a significant step forward in 2025.