Quarterback Rankings is a bi-weekly series that breaks down the top signal-callers in the CFL. The ranking of starters heading into each week reflects recent performance, statistical indicators, team success, and overall on-field evaluation.
Before we get to the quarterbacks, I need to give a quick nod to running back Justin Rankin.
Yes, the pivots are also doing spectacular things, but what Rankin is doing is truly special. His touchdown runs against Montreal make me question my high school Science teachers, while his 426 total yards in two games and 9.1 yards per carry is something you only see in college. All right, on to the passers.
1. TREVOR HARRIS | SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
I promise I’m not trying to appeal to everyone like some shady politician when I throw out the line that any of my top three quarterbacks could be number one. But it is true. The pivots have been so good this year that you’ll be shocked to see who is in fourth.
You can argue receivers Kian Schaffer-Baker and Samuel Emilus are making Trevor Harris look good, and you would be right. However, Harris is also putting the ball right where it needs to be to allow his playmakers to make plays.
A 53-yard completion to Schaffer-Baker in the second quarter last week against Calgary was as much about the receiver making defenders miss as it was about Harris getting the ball over the linebackers and hitting his target in stride. A week earlier, Harris repeatedly punished the BC Lions’ blitzes, connecting on several big gains against extra pressure.
I’ll give the defending Grey Cup MVP top spot. Is that entirely fair? Probably not. But with the margins between the league’s top quarterbacks so slim, I needed a tiebreaker.
2. DAVIS ALEXANDER | MONTREAL ALOUETTES
Yes, Davis Alexander finally felt what it was like to lose in the regular season, but did you see his 34-yard strike to Tyler Snead to cut the Elks lead to 26-23? Credit to Snead for fighting for the ball, but Davis put it right where it needed to be despite great coverage by Elks defensive back Kobe Williams.
Alexander earns bonus points for his calculated aggressiveness late in the team’s Week 2 win over the Toronto Argonauts. Up 30-23 with under 90 seconds to go, Alexander could have gone for the safe throw on first-and-10, but instead he connected with Tyson Philpot for a game ending 56-yard touchdown.
3. BO LEVI MITCHELL | HAMILTON TIGER-CATS
In the last two weeks, Bo Levi Mitchell had eight touchdown passes and eight incompletions. Read that sentence again! I’m almost angry at myself for not having him at number one.
I could list off a half-dozen throws Mitchell has made over the past two weeks, but instead let’s talk about his 15-yard run in the first half of Hamilton’s 37-27 road win over Winnipeg. Bo pump-faked his way into open space before taking off downfield, a play that was surprising enough to catch even Marshall Ferguson off guard on the broadcast.
4. NATHAN ROURKE | BC LIONS
Nathan Rourke’s drop has nothing to do with the Lions being 0-2. Yes, injuries at wide receiver played a role in BC’s offensive struggles against Hamilton. But with quarterback play around the league reaching such a high level through the first few weeks, even small mistakes can make a difference in a ranking like this. Rourke’s second-quarter interception, which was picked off by Stavros Katsantonis, was one of the few plays that worked against an otherwise strong body of work.
The Lions needed fewer field goals and more touchdowns, particularly on a night when Hamilton’s offence was operating at a high level. I agree it does look strange seeing Rourke’s name outside the top three.
5. CHAD KELLY | TORONTO ARGONAUTS
If you wanted to nitpick, you could point to the four interceptions against Ottawa or note that some of his production against Montreal came while Toronto was playing from behind. Even so, Kelly remains one of the most entertaining quarterbacks in the CFL.
Few passers are as willing to attack downfield and trust their arm. Whether it’s a 63-yard strike to Kevin Mital against Montreal, a risky throw that ends up in a defender’s hands, or a 17-yard touchdown pass to David Ungerer III while rolling to his right, something seems to happen every time Kelly drops back. He isn’t always perfect, but he’s aggressive, fearless and never afraid to push the ball.
6. ZACH COLLAROS | WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
Despite losing to Hamilton, Zach Collaros and the Bombers were still able to move the ball in Week 2. The pivot totalled 421 passing yards and two touchdowns before going on a bye in Week 3. A refreshed Collaros and the Blue and Gold now face the next guy on this list in what should be an entertaining West Division showdown.
7. CODY FAJARDO | EDMONTON ELKS
I imagine even Cody Fajardo would agree that his running back has been the key to Edmonton’s 2-0 start.
My favourite Fajardo moment so far happened in Week 3. With his team down 13-7 to Montreal in the third quarter, Fajardo scrambled to his left, flipped the ball to Justin Rankin, then showed tremendous effort to run in front of his tailback and successfully block Alouettes linebacker Micah Awe out of the play, springing Rankin for his second touchdown of the game.
8. VERNON ADAMS JR. | CALGARY STAMPEDERS
The Stampeders have lost by two to Winnipeg and by three in overtime to the defending 112th Grey Cup champions, so we are miles away from worrying about Calgary.
Much like he did in Week 1, Adams Jr. delivered several big throws late in the game to give Calgary a chance against Saskatchewan. On the game-tying touchdown drive, he connected with Tevin Jones for 11 yards on third-and-seven before capping the march with a touchdown pass to Jones in the final minute. The play showcased Adams Jr.’s playmaking ability, as he escaped pressure, avoided a near sack and kept the play alive long enough to find his receiver in the end zone.
While the Stampeders ultimately came up short in overtime, Adams Jr. once again showed why Calgary remains a dangerous team in close games. The result didn’t go his way, but his late-game execution helped force overtime.
9. JAKE MAIER | OTTAWA REDBLACKS
It has been a challenging start for Jake Maier and the REDBLACKS, but there have also been encouraging signs despite the team’s 0-2 record.
Ottawa has shown an ability to move the football and create opportunities, particularly in Week 2 when the defence helped generate multiple turnovers against Toronto. While Maier threw two interceptions in the loss, the bigger story was the offence’s inability to convert enough of those chances into touchdowns. If the REDBLACKS can become more efficient in the red zone and finish drives, there is reason to believe better results are on the horizon.
