Four Blue Bombers named to 2024 CFL all-star squad

Four Winnipeg Blue Bombers players were named to the 2024 all-star squad Thursday following a vote by the Football Reporters of Canada and nine league head coaches.

Tackle Stanley Bryant was named a league all-star for the eighth time. He becomes the 10th player in league history to achieve eight or more selections.

Bombers running back Brady Oliveira was named to the squad for the second straight year. The Winnipeg native led the CFL in rushing with 1,353 yards and is the West Division’s nominee as the league’s outstanding player.

Winnipeg end Willie Jefferson anchors a defensive line that includes Ottawa end Lorenzo Mauldin IV, Toronto’s Jake Ceresna and Saskatchewan’s Micah Johnson at tackle. Jefferson received the nod for a sixth time.

The secondary includes Winnipeg cornerback Tyrell Ford, Saskatchewan cornerback Marcus Sayles, Riders halfback Roland Milligan Jr., Ottawa halfback Damon Webb, and Montreal safety Marc-Antoine Dequoy.

The squad features nine Canadian players and 11 first-time selections. The Saskatchewan Roughriders placed a league-high five players on the team.

Bo Levi Mitchell, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback and East Division finalist for the CFL’s outstanding player award, is a CFL all-star for the third time.

Mitchell, 34, led the CFL in pass attempts (614), completions (420), yards, (5,451), interceptions (18) and touchdowns (32). He established career highs in all categories but TDs and was named a league all-star for the first time since 2018.

B.C.’s Justin McInnis, Ottawa’s Justin Hardy, Calgary’s Reggie Begelton, Edmonton’s Eugene Lewis and Hamilton’s Tim White made up the receiving corps. McInnis and Hardy are first-time league all-stars while this marks the third selection for Begelton, Lewis and White.

Joining Winnipeg’s Bryant on the offensive line are Hamilton centre David Beard, guards Logan Ferland of Saskatchewan and Ryan Hunter of Toronto and Argos tackle Dejon Allen. Beard and Ferland are first-time all-stars while Hunter and Allen were named for the second straight year.

Montreal’s Tyrice Beverette, Edmonton’s Nick Anderson and Saskatchewan’s C.J. Reavis were named all-stars at linebacker all for the first time.

The special-teams performers were B.C.’s Sean Whyte (kicker), Edmonton’s Jake Julien (punter) and Toronto returner Janarion Grant. This marks Julien’s first all-star nod while both Whyte and Grant are two-time selections.