Winnipeg Blue Bombers DB/KR Trey Vaval named CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie

Photo: Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive back and kick returner Trey Vaval has been named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie.

The 25-year-old native of Blue Springs, Mo. led the league in punt return yards (957), missed field goal return yards (391), kick return touchdowns (four). He also finished third in all-purpose yards (2,266) and fifth in kickoff return yards (918).

Vaval set a single-game CFL record with 199 missed field goal return yards in a 26-18 win over the Ottawa Redblacks in September.

The five-foot-eleven, 163-pound speedster also started four games at cornerback, recording 21 defensive tackles, four special teams tackles, and one interception.

Vaval received 36 of 53 first-place votes from national members of the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC). The East Division nominee was Hamilton linebacker Devin Veresuk.

He is only the third player in CFL history to win both awards, joining Albert Johnson III (2000) and Lewis Ward (2018).

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers finished fourth in the West Division standings in 2025 with a 10-8 record, qualifying for the playoffs as the crossover team before losing the East Semi-Final to the Montreal Alouettes. Zach Collaros threw for 3,048 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions over 13 regular-season games, going 6-7 as a starter.

The Blue Bombers ranked fifth in net offence, third in net defence, and eighth with a turnover differential of minus-eleven. The club’s leading rusher was Brady Oliveira with 1,163 yards, leading receiver was Nic Demski with 1,001 yards, and leading tackler was Tony Jones with 104 tackles. Winnipeg ranked first in attendance with average crowds of 32,343, which was a 3.7 percent increase from the previous year.