MMQB: Ranking the CFL’s top 3 receivers

[IMPORTANT: Make this 4 times longer with much more detail]

Pat Steinberg CFL.ca @Fan960Steinberg After four straight seasons without a playoff appearance, it was time for a change in Edmonton. And the Elks weren’t messing around this winter. Ed Hervey is back in the Alberta capital as general manager. And in early December, Mark Kilam was named the 25th head coach in franchise history . As we continue highlighting one reason to be excited for all nine CFL teams, it’s clear the additions of Kilam and Hervey have infused a new energy for the Elks. And their work in free agency speaks volumes to that. RELATED » Mock Draft 1.0: Who will Calgary take first overall? » Where 9 of the CFL’s top Canadians were drafted » MMQB: Ranking the CFL’s top 3 linebackers » Top of the Depth Chart: Toronto Argonauts » Subscribe to the CFL’s official YouTube channel » Subscribe to the CFL’s newsletter for exclusive offers and league updates The Elks made significant splashes across the board as free agency opened a couple of months ago. That included defensive tackle Jake Ceresna and defensive back Tyrell Ford , a pair of players amongst the very best at their positions. In fact, Ford was ranked as the league’s No. 1 corner last season by our friends at Pro Football Focus. Ceresna, on the other hand, finished second amongst interior defenders. Other impact defensive signings include safety Royce Metchie , linebacker Emmanuel Rugamba , and defensive end Robbie Smith. When you consider the likes of Nick Anderson and Nyles Morgan , last year’s co-leaders in defensive tackles, as impact holdovers, there’s plenty of reason to be optimistic on the defensive side of the ball in 2025. On offence, additions include Canadian offensive lineman David Beard and a pair of receivers in Steven Dunbar Jr. and Kaion Julien-Grant . But it’s not just free agency. Adding Hervey and Kilam to the organization has also paid dividends in retaining key players, starting with quarterback Tre Ford . After promising performances as a mid-season replacement in back-to-back seasons, Ford was set for free agency this winter. But instead of taking their chances, Edmonton’s brain trust made the decision to invest in Ford by signing him to a three-year extension in early December. The deal pays him like a starting quarterback and Ford will enter 2025 training camp on top of a depth chart for the first time in his professional career as a result. It’s an exciting time to be an Elks fan. Big name free agents have decided to sign in Edmonton. Core players Ford and stalwart left tackle Martez Ivey decided to stay with the Elks instead of free agency. And it feels like much of that may not have happened without the additions of Hervey and Kilam. Next step in Edmonton is a return to the post-season for the first time since 2019. RANKING THE RECEIVERS We’re continuing our 2025 positional rankings this week by focusing on another one of the league’s deepest positions: receiver. And this one was even tougher than last week, where paring it down to three linebackers was difficult enough. Getting this list down to just a trio of receivers wasn’t easy and saw big names like Reggie Begelton , Kenny Lawler , Eugene Lewis , Dalton Schoen , and Kian Schaffer-Baker finishing just on the outside. But, with the comment section wide open to tear these apart, here’s our MMQB top three based on elements like recent performance, potential, and more. 1. JUSTIN MCINNIS | BC LIONS We’re really going out on a limb here, hey? But after watching Justin McInnis’ breakout campaign in 2024, it’s hard not to put the Montreal product at the top of this list. Last year saw McInnis lead the league with 137 targets and 1,469 yards to go along with an impressive 92 receptions and seven touchdowns. With his unique combination of size (six-foot-five) and blazing speed, McInnis was also emphatically the CFL’s top ranked receiver at PFF. With quarterback Nathan Rourke in the fold from the start of training camp, and a big two-year extension under his belt, McInnis enters this season on top of the league’s pass-catching mountain. 2. JUSTIN HARDY | OTTAWA REDBLACKS Make it back-to-back seasons over 1,000 yards for Justin Hardy after setting career highs across the board in 2024. Hardy led the league with 97 receptions while racking up 1,343 yards and five touchdowns. It was impressive to see Hardy build on his breakout campaign in 2023 and he’s showing no signs of slowing down. 3. TYSON PHILPOT | MONTREAL ALOUETTES Tyson Philpot is the only outside receiver in our top three but is fully deserving after exploding onto the scene in the first half of last season. Despite having his season cut short due to a foot injury in August, Philpot still racked up 779 yards and five touchdowns in nine appearances. Still just 24, and with a Canadian passport, Philpot looks poised to cement himself as one of the league’s most important offensive players. Get all the top stories from across the league delivered to your inbox.