The 2025 U Sports football season was running with a pair of sports on Friday night. Three of the four conferences will be in action before the weekend, all set their eyes on winning a vanier cup.
However, for individual players, a piece of hardware is even more elusive: HEC Criton Trophy. Canadian University established in 1967 to identify the most outstanding player in football-although in practice, especially crimes are used for those on crime-this claims an all-star list of recipients from Bryan Fire to Tim Tindel, Andy Fantuz and Brad Sinopoli.
The last four HEC Christon winners – tray Ford, Kevin Mital, Jonathan Senal and Taylor Algersma – were all drafted in CFL. Last, Elgarsma is on the verge of history making because he vies for a roster spot with Green Bay Packers of NFL. The question that should be answered in the next three months is: Who is next?
There are 15 players here that I believe that there may be a dispute for HEC Christon when the award was submitted in November, presented in ascending order.
15. QB Drew Watto, British Columbia University (Sault Stei. Mary, Onts.)
You cannot preview this season at least without mentioning the UBC star quarterback transfer. As a former power five recruitment, who stopped in the state of Minnesota, Eastern Michigan and Missouri, Vito has a lineage that we have not seen from U Sport QB since Michael O’Coner. Nevertheless, six-foot-three, 230-pound axis may be out of running before the race begins, as Thunderbirds are still arguing whether the fifth year backup Derek Angel has to be started and the Canadian game has to give more time to his new acquisition to learn the Canadian game again. If they go with the viotto, its raw equipment means that the sky is boundary.
14. RB Charles Esselin, University of Ottawa (Cantley, Q.)
Whether it is JP Sinkinda or acidic pole, G-G running back in recent years has never been away from the top of the crowd chart. Esselin is no exception, to reach fourth position in 2024 and to lead all of U Sports in all-purpose yards. Equally expert as a return and runner, you can expect only five-foot-11, 200-pounders to get more touch this year, especially with a magnificent pair of quarterbacks set to commit crimes. This makes him a first -time contender to win HEC since Ed Ilanic in 2017.
13. RB Ricker Frank, Suskechewan University (Regina, Sansk.)
You can make an argument that Huskis Quarterback Anton Amundrad is eligible to be on this list, but looking at its long history of turnover, Frank seems like a safe condition to take the hardware of the house this year. Standing in five -foot -10 and 198 pounds, what CFL was getting in a supporter possibility in the fifth year race, but has been incredibly productive in college. With more than 3,055 career yard under his belt, to finish second in the last year’s running title, he is sure to get some heritage votes, if boys in Saskatoon return to the top of Canada West.
12. QB Ivan Hilloc, Western University (Hamilton, Onts.)
Notable efficiency and reliable sports management are all mustangs that have ever been asked from Hillk, and, boys, what they distributed. The fifth year Pivot offsen returns to a career state line pad from elbow surgery which includes 76 passing touchdowns and only 19 interception. Big difference this year? Along with both Keon Edwards and Kenu Yazbek, Western no longer has one or two punch in the backfield and can be forced to rely on more aerial attack than ever before.
11. RB Bradon Stabs, University of Manitoba (Vinypeg, Man.)
2024 U Sports Rushing Leaders with a distance of 951 yards in eight matches return to their fifth year for their fifth year after being snub by Stabs CFL. Five-Foot-11, 205-Pounder is not a glamorous speedster, but their contact balance and high-existing style have created persistent results. Unfortunately, his possibilities of winning the award were hurt by a high-profile player on his team-he was left in a more-and aggressive line when JP Metras Trophy winner Giordano Vaikairo transferred to the per cent.
10. QB Callum Wither, Wilfrid Laurier University (Waterloo, Ontaru)
Straight steps in the shoes of last year’s HEC Christon winner means that Vithra has a clear way to win the trophy as any player in the country, but still there are many unknowns that keep him at a high level in this list. Ohio University’s six-foot-three, 213-pound transfer has a three-star lineage, but has not been passed in a game since 2022 and not to read 12-Man Defense in more than half a decade. He who separates him from Watto is that his initial job is not in controversy, and that his tributaries have a Yats Cup under the belt.
9. RB Malcolm Busi, St. Francis Xavier University (Hammond Plans, NS)
After missing the entire 2024 season with a torn ACL, you will be forgiven to forget about Busi, but the Getorade Player of the year in New Hampshire state is now healthy enough to remind you. Five-Foot-11, 197-Pound runners were the largest game-breakers in the Atlantic Canada before their injuries and were 1,000 yards in their last healthy regular sessions. If he again gets closer to that mark, he should earn nomination of the conference, although Kaleb Phogartha may have earned the right to steal some of his carry.
8. RB Jred Chisari, Queen University (Naples, M.)
How is it that Chisari still has eligibility, given that he first appeared on a college roster with Division III Bodoin College in 2018? I have no idea, but Gales is definitely thrilled to withdraw him for the fourth campaign, two years after being unpublished in CFL. The student of the five-foot-11, 217-pound master reduced one year from his standards in 2024, in the fifth place with an average of 6.9 yards. He has a history of going to a pop over eight yards and if the queen wishes to become an OUA contender again, he would need to go back to that level.
7. QB Justin Quirian, Bishop University (St. Georges, Q.)
Love it or hate it, U Sports in AUS will produce one of the four finalists for the ugly step children HEC and Quirian and have a safe bet to repeat the feat. Five-Foot-10, 178-Pound Playmaker was a major part of why the gates conducted the conference in the last season, as they threw 24 touchdowns and 10 interception to the national semi-finals in their runs. Eric Glwik remains the only player of AUS to win the award for this century, but the door has some advantages to have the easiest way to get his leg.
6. QB Triston Abouud, Guelf University (Montreal, Q.)
When it comes to introducing the next Elgarsma, only a handful of possibilities have the required size, pocket poetry, and hand strength in legitimate consideration. Aboud examines all the boxes and even more polished than the former Lawyer Pivot, entering its third season, with greater mobility to boot. Six-foot-four, 210-pounders have completed more than 67 percent passes through 13 careers, thrown 20 for touchdowns and eight interception, and this year there is a weapon in Guelof to padd those figures. This makes him a true dark horse in a stuffed OUA.
5. QB Jackson Tachinsky, University of Manitoba (Vinypeg, Man.)
The top contenders for praise in Canada West remain the same as the previous season, as the CFL returns to Tachinsky Bones after a brief attempt to convert into the receiver. Six-Four, 215-Pound is certainly the largest player in the country, who regularly places his body on the line as a one-dai-dai runner. Even with the ability of that influential dual-dhmaqi, his passing numbers will need to be improved to keep it on top, as in 2024 he will not be cut off in 2024 that he had celebrated eight touchdowns and seven interception.
4. QB Eloa Latendresse-Rembald, McGill University (Montreal, Que.)
No, since the tray Ford has seen as an athlete in a quarterback position in Canada as dynamic, as the Redbirds Star Pivot, although the 2021 HEC Christon is a nice four inches of the Latndress-Rimbald on the winner. Six-four, 196-pound speedster went away at a distance of 858 yards last year and thrown to over 2,245, although he ended with more obstruction than the touchdown. If he can save the football slightly better, then the RSEQ created by the retirement of Jonathan sanchale with Montreal carbin is a real opportunity to fill the vacuum. What is worth it, the 2026 CFL draft process is the only player in this list that is already favorable and already there are three total touchdowns.
3. QB Cagan Hall, York University (Burlington, Onts.)
Any York Player has never won the HEC Christon Trophy – which almost matched with their victory before the previous year – but hears me on it. The hall was second for algersma per game passing yards last season, at 316.1 average for McMaster. Lions had already moved into legitimate contestants from the national laughter stock in 2024, so if six feet-four, 230-pound transfer can be used by their passing prices to convert them into contenders, he would become one of the best stories in the history of the game. Voters wrapped goods like hot milk, even at the cost of more statistical achievements.
2. REC Ethan Jordan, Wilfrid Lawrier University (Chautham, Onts.)
HEC Christon seems to have a truly remarkable receiver to win, which is why it has happened only three times in the last 30 years. Jordan is worthy of considering in that category after becoming just the 18th pass catcher to cross 1,000 yards in a regular session of eight-games. Five-Foot-10, 177-Pound Burner is back to one last year after Ottawa Redblack selected in the sixth round of 2025 CFL draft and if the production remains the same with withering as was done with Elgarsma, which would be more reflected on it than quarterbacks.
1. QB Arnod Desjardins, Universit Laval (Montreal, Q.)
If you find someone placing the presiden bet on HEC Christon Futures, then there is a place where there is safe money. Desjardins return as a two -time Vanier Cup champion for their fifth year and as a former finalist for the prestigious trophy. After throwing out for 17 touchdowns and just one interception in the regular session of 2024, they should not have any problem in copying those figures with the number one team in the nation. If all other things are the same at the end of the year, the voter will bow his way to identify the career, as he did in 2019 with Chris Merchant.
