BC linebacker becomes second straight Lion to capture the award
TORONTO (November 3, 2026) – BC linebacker Darnell Sankey is the Canadian Football League’s (CFL) Most Outstanding Defensive Player. The former Sacramento State Hornet is the 11th Lion to capture the award and his victory marks the 16th time the team has secured the honour, including last year when defensive lineman Mathieu Betts became a two-time recipient in addition to his 2023 award.
In his first season with BC, Sankey topped the CFL with 136 defensive plays. His 114 defensive tackles not only led the league, but they also earned him the distinction of being the second player in CFL history to reach triple digits in three consecutive seasons, joining Canadian Football Hall of Fame member Willie Pless. The San Jose, Calif., native established a career-high in pass knockdowns (12), while matching his personal bests with three sacks and four tackles for a loss.
BC’s Defensive Coordinator Mike Benevides shared the news during a team meeting. Sankey is the third player to capture the award under Benevides’s watch, joining Betts last season and Cameron Wake in 2008. The moment is part of the CFL’s refreshed approach to recognizing award winners in lieu of a traditional awards ceremony, offering fans a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into the people and stories behind the statistics and accomplishments.
As part of a revamped awards process, every player who received a vote for team awards advanced to the final ballot for the corresponding CFL Award. The finalists were voted on by the same pool of local members of the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) who determined team award winners, as well as national members of the FRC. In total, 52 votes were counted. Complete ballots can be downloaded below.
2026 MOST OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER – COMPLETE RESULTS
(Name | 1st-2nd-3rd votes | Total points of a max 260)
- Darnell Sankey (BC) | 27-6-5 | 158 points
- Adarius Pickett (TOR) | 9-16-6 | 99
- Clarence Hicks (CGY) | 8-15-9 | 94
- Tyrice Beverette (MTL) | 4-7-9 | 50
- Malik Carney (EDM) | 3-4-11 | 38
- Tyrell Ford (EDM) | 0-1-3 | 6
- Mathieu Betts (BC) | 1-0-0 | 5
- Jameer Thurman (SSK) | 0-1-2 | 5
- Kordell Jackson (EDM) | 0-1-1 | 4
- Geoffrey Cantin-Arku (MTL) | 0-0-3 | 3
- Willie Jefferson (WPG) | 0-1-0 | 3
- Lorenzo Burns (MTL) | 0-0-1 | 1
- Ralph Holley (TOR) | 0-0-1 | 1
- Marquel Lee (CGY) | 0-0-1 | 1