TORONTO — Offensive stars tend to receive much of the attention, but plenty of defensive players have delivered outstanding performances throughout the first half of the 2026 CFL season.
From disruptive pass rushers to versatile linebackers and playmaking defensive backs, several defenders have built strong cases as the best at their respective positions.
These rankings consider CFL statistics, PFF grades and selections to CFL.ca’s midseason All-CFL team. With many of the leading candidates still taking the field in Week 11, here are the top three players at each level of the defence and how the remaining games could reshape the conversation.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
- CLARENCE HICKS | CALGARY STAMPEDERS
- MATHIEU BETTS | BC LIONS
- JAKE CERESNA/WILLIE JEFFERSON | WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
Jake Ceresna joins the party 🕺
Ceresna joins Betts and Jefferson III with 6 sacks to tie for the league-lead!
🗓️: Lions vs. Blue Bombers LIVE NOW
📺: TSN, RDS and CFL+#CFLGameDay pic.twitter.com/uf9PZl4UHN— CFL (@CFL) July 31, 2026
Clarence Hicks, Mathieu Betts, Jake Ceresna and Willie Jefferson have separated themselves as four of the CFL’s most disruptive defensive linemen through the first half of the season.
All four rank among the league’s top five defensive linemen in PFF pass-rush grade. Jefferson leads the group at 92.3, followed by Betts at 92.1, Hicks at 91.3 and Ceresna at 85.4. Only Saskatchewan’s Caleb Sanders has broken into the group, ranking fourth at 89.6. Hicks also comfortably leads them all in pressures with 56, according to PFF.
Their impact also shows up on the stat sheet. Hicks and Betts each recorded a sack on Thursday night, bringing both to a league-leading seven. Ceresna and Jefferson enter Friday’s matchup against Ottawa one behind with six apiece.
That gives the Bombers’ duo an opportunity not only to strengthen their case among the CFL’s best defensive linemen, but also to catch, or surpass, Hicks and Betts in the sack race.
The defensive line race continues on Friday Night Football when Ottawa and Winnipeg kick off at 8:30 p.m. ET. The game can be watched on TSN and RDS2 in Canada and CFL+ in the U.S. and internationally.
LINEBACKERS
- ADARIUS PICKETT | TORONTO ARGONAUTS
- MARQUEL LEE | CALGARY STAMPEDERS
- TONY JONES | WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS
ADARIUS PICKETT COMES UP HUGE 🔥
The Argos force the turnover and come away with the football!
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📺: TSN, CBSSN and CFL+#CFLGameDay pic.twitter.com/IfvR3pcAUJ— CFL (@CFL) June 27, 2026
Adarius Pickett, Marquel Lee and Tony Jones have established themselves as three of the CFL’s most complete linebackers through the first half of the season.
All three were selected to CFL.ca’s midseason All-CFL team, with Lee and Jones earning the two linebacker spots and Pickett being named at cover linebacker. They also occupy three of the top four spots in PFF overall grade among linebackers. Pickett leads the position at 83.3, followed by Lee in third at 77.4 and Jones in fourth at 74.6.
The race for most defensive tackles by a linebacker also involve the trio. Lee added one tackle against BC on Thursday and leads the CFL with 54, but Pickett and Jones remain close behind with 51 and 50, respectively.
Jones gets the first opportunity to close the gap when Winnipeg hosts Ottawa on Friday Night Football. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET and the game can be watched on TSN and RDS2 in Canada and CFL+ in the U.S. and internationally.
Pickett then takes the field against Anderson and the Elks on Saturday, giving fans a matchup between PFF’s two highest-graded linebackers. Toronto and Edmonton kick off at 3:00 p.m. ET on TSN, CTV and Crave in Canada and CFL+ in the U.S. and internationally.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
- ROBERT KENNEDY III | MONTREAL ALOUETTES
- TYRELL FORD | EDMONTON ELKS
- LORENZO BURNS | MONTREAL ALOUETTES
Robert Kennedy III, Tyrell Ford and Lorenzo Burns have emerged as three of the CFL’s premier defensive backs through the first half of the season.
The trio also made it into CFL.ca’s midseason All-CFL team and rank among the league leaders in PFF coverage grade. Kennedy leads the trio at 81.1, followed by Ford at 80.6 and Burns at 79.9.
There is no shortage of competition behind them. Calgary’s Ben Labrosse leads all defensive backs with an 81.9 overall grade and an 81.3 coverage grade. The emerging National talent is also tied with Ford for the league lead with five interceptions. Calgary’s Zy Alexander also deserves recognition after entering Week 11 with the league’s highest PFF coverage grade. Although that mark dipped slightly following Thursday’s game against BC, Alexander remains one of the CFL’s top defensive backs and sits third in the league with four interceptions.
Toronto’s Benjie Franklin and Hamilton’s Zamari Walton also rank among PFF’s six highest-graded defensive backs. Franklin enters Saturday tied for fourth in the CFL with three interceptions.
That sets up another race to follow in Week 11. Ford can move ahead of Labrosse for the interception lead when Edmonton hosts Franklin and the Argonauts on Saturday. Toronto and Edmonton kick off at 3:00 p.m. ET on TSN, CTV and Crave in Canada and CFL+ in the U.S. and internationally.
The secondary spotlight then shifts to Hamilton, where Walton and Stavros Katsantonis will face Saskatchewan. Katsantonis, who also earned a spot on CFL.ca’s midseason All-CFL team, enters the matchup with three interceptions and an opportunity to gain ground on Ford and Labrosse.
Saskatchewan and Hamilton kick off on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. ET on TSN in Canada, CBS Sports Network in the U.S. and CFL+ internationally.
BC’s T.J. Lee also deserves a special mention after earning a game-sealing interception in Week 11.
