The Winnipeg Blue Bombers' Jamaal Westerman strums the Banjo Bowl after defeating the Saskatchewan Roughriders in CFL action in Winnipeg on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015. Westerman and Saskatchewan Roughriders linebacker Jeff Knox Jr. each received three nominations in balloting for the CFL's individual awards Thursday.John Woods/The Canadian Press
Jeff Knox Jr., and Jamaal Westerman have made quite an impact in their CFL debuts.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders linebacker and Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive lineman both received three nominations in balloting for the CFL's individual awards Thursday.
Knox was a unanimous pick as Saskatchewan's outstanding player, defensive player and rookie while Westerman was a unanimous selection as Winnipeg's top Canadian and also got the nod as top player and defensive player.
Knox has been a bright spot for Saskatchewan (2-15), having recorded a team-record 107 tackles to stand second only to Adam Bighill of the B.C. Lions (117). The six-foot-two, 225-pound Pittsburgh native also added 10 special-teams tackles, two fumble recoveries and an interception.
"Obviously for someone to get three nominations shows the type of season Jeff had," Saskatchewan interim coach Bob Dyce told reporters in Regina. "Jeff is one of our most valuable players on special teams and defence.
"When I look at his progress as a defensive player, he didn't even start the year as a starting linebacker. He just showed and continued to get better as the year went on. He was slowed down a little bit by an injury at times this season but he's one of the most consistent players we had and played at a high level all year."
Quarterback Kerry Joseph is the last Rider to be chosen the CFL's outstanding player, in 2007. Receiver Weston Dressler was the last Saskatchewan player to be chosen top rookie (2008) while defensive lineman John Chick was the CFL's top defensive lineman in 2009.
"It's odd for a rookie to get that [outstanding player nomination]," Dyce said. "Again, it's a credit to Jeff and the level he played at this year.
"[He was] one of the top tacklers in the league and he was rewarded for that."
The 6-foot-3, 249-pound Westerman has 15 sacks in his first season with Winnipeg. Before that, the New York native, who grew up in Brampton, Ont., appeared in 58 career NFL games with New York Jets (2009-11), Arizona Cardinals (2012), Indianapolis Colts (2012), Buffalo Bills (2013), Pittsburgh Steelers (2013) and Cleveland Browns (2014).
"It's been a fun season except for the losing," Westerman said in Toronto, where the Bombers will face the Argonauts on Friday night. "A lot of credit goes to my teammates because there's no one guy out there doing all the work himself.
"It will mean more probably when you look back after the season but during the season you don't think about those things, you think about going out and making plays and trying to help your team win the game. Really, the best accolade is being a champion. You want to build upon it moving forward in the off-season and the years to come."
Voting was conducted by members of the Football Reporters of Canada as well as the nine CFL head coaches.
Other multiple nominees in first-round voting included Bighill (B.C.'s top player, unanimous pick as defensive player) and Montreal Alouettes returner Stefan Logan (outstanding player, special-teams player).
Quarterback Henry Burris was a unanimous selection as the Ottawa RedBlacks outstanding player nominee while 2014 Grey Cup MVP Bo Levi Mitchell got the nod for the Calgary Stampeders and injured quarterback Zach Collaros was voted the Hamilton Tiger-Cats outstanding player.
Burris, 40, leads the CFL in passing (5,335 yards) with a 70.7 completion percentage and has been instrumental in the resurgence of Ottawa, which heads into the final week of the regular season leading the East with an 11-6 record after going 2-16 in its inaugural 2014 campaign.
Mitchell is second overall in passing yards (4,551 yards) while Collaros was the league's passing leader (3,376 yards) prior to a season-ending knee injury.
The other top player award nominees were quarterbacks Trevor Harris of the Toronto Argonauts and Mike Reilly of the Edmonton Eskimos. Harris is tops in TD passes (32) and interceptions (18) and third in passing yards (4,144) but recently was replaced as Toronto's starter by veteran Ricky Ray.
Reilly has thrown for 2,449 yards with 15 TDs and 10 interceptions while also rushing for 324 yards (4.9-yard average).
The division finalists will be chosen next week. The CFL will honour its top individual performers Nov. 26 in Winnipeg.