TORONTO — One of the secrets to building a successful team is finding good players before everyone realizes just how good they are.
That means doing your due diligence in the draft and free agency and finding players before they breakout, allowing you to accumulate more talented players than the other teams. The 2025 CFL Free Agency period is sure to feature a handful of players who are going to be difference makers going forward, but haven’t reached their full potential just yet.
The list below contains five potential such players, who have shown glimpses of their ceiling, but have yet to consistently achieve that mark.
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Sterns’ resume makes him one of the likeliest candidates for a breakout in 2025 (Arthur Ward/CFL.ca)
JERRETH STERNS | REC | SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
Still only 25 years old, Sterns was able to showcase his talent even amidst one of the most talent-jammed wide receiver rooms in the CFL. The Waxahachie, TX native caught 83 passes for 941 yards and three touchdowns over the last two seasons but is just scratching the surface of his talent as a pass-catcher.
Sterns was simply dominant as a college player for Western Kentucky University. Seeing action in 14 games in 2021, Sterns had a career season, finishing as the NCAA leader in receiving yards (1,902), catches (150), receiving yards per game (135.9) and tied for the lead with 17 receiving touchdowns. His receptions and receiving yards were the third and fifth highest marks in FBS history, respectively. Following the season, the former Hilltopper earned First-Team All-C-USA honours and was named a Second-Team All-American.
Previously, Sterns spent three collegiate seasons (2018-2020) at Houston Baptist University. In 27 games, he logged 220 receptions for 1,971 yards and 18 touchdowns while adding 23 rushes for 56 yards and two majors on the ground. He took some snaps at quarterback, completing four passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns.
With such a resume, there’s no doubt the young receiver should be in line to top his career mark of 492 receiving yards (2024) as soon as next season, either by staying in Regina or by testing the free agency waters.
Brinkman (#91) tied for first in run-defence grade in 2024 according to PFF (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca)
JARED BRINKMAN | DL | TORONTO ARGONAUTS
One of the constants of this list is going to be age. Jared Brinkman is also approaching his 26th birthday, but has already impressed in his short CFL career. The numbers are still modest, with a career-high three sacks in 2024 in the middle of Toronto’s defensive line. It’s when you dig deeper into Brinkman’s performance that you find evidence of a player on the verge of breaking out.
The young defensive lineman tied 2024 Most Outstanding Rookie Nick Anderson for first in run-defence grade (91.0) according to Pro Football Focus, making four tackles for loss or no gain while missing only one tackle all season long, while also leading all players with at least 100 snaps in percentage of plays with a positive grade (24.3). Brinkman also showed flashes as a pass rusher, gaining 18 total pressures as an inside rusher.
Smith finished second in pressures in 2024 (Bailey McLean/CFL.ca)
ROBBIE SMITH | DL | TORONTO ARGONAUTS
Speaking of talented young defensive linemen, Robbie Smith is another Toronto Argonaut that seems about to unleash his full potential. The Brampton, ON native has been productive over his first five CFL seasons, gaining 20 sacks in 72 games played. The numbers are still modest however giving how disruptive Smith has been for the Argonauts.
In 2024, only one player (Lorenzo Mauldin IV) pressured the quarterback more than Smith according to Pro Football Focus. Smith finished the season with 54 pressures, including six sacks, 15 hits and 33 hurries.
PEYTON LOGAN | RB | CALGARY STAMPEDERS
Peyton Logan finished fourth in yards per carry in 2024 despite a Calgary offence that struggled to find its footing all season long.
The lightning to Dedrick Mills‘ thunder, Logan offers plenty of speed, showcased by his returning ability that included a touchdown in Week 13 against the Edmonton Elks. Logan has yet to become a household name, but at only 26 years old, could very well translate his athletic ability into a dominant tailback option.
SHEA PATTERSON | QB | SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
Shea Patterson filled in admirably for Trevor Harris in 2024 and kept the Roughriders season afloat with a steady quarterback performance.
Still only 27 years old, Patterson offers arguably as much upside as any pending free agent pivot going into 2025. The signal-caller now brings starter experience after starting in six games for the Riders, going 2-3-1 and keeping the team together in time for Harris’ return and an eventual playoff run.
Patterson also scored seven rushing majors and demonstrated his willingness to gain gritty yards on third down and near the line of goal. The big factor that plays against a Patterson breakout is playing time. All nine teams seem set at the position going into 2025, and Patterson could be looking to sign with the team that gives him the best path towards a starting position or looking for continuity behind Harris in Regina.