Football is a fascinating sport with a great degree of turnaround. Now, much of that is due to the shrewdly unpredictable nature of the game, but, in U SPORTS, the game can have a significant degree of turnaround because of elements such as eligibility, transfers, and graduation. As another football season comes around the corner, so does a chance for players whose talent may not be as recognized to showcase it in front of teammates, coaches, and media members.
Every season sees a few players across all conferences emerge as “breakout” performers thanks to strides in their game that may not have been there the year before, often the result of age or development. The OUA, as the nation’s biggest conference, also houses the largest concentration of players. With that in mind, and in no particular order, here’s one candidate from each Ontario program with breakout potential.
1. Ryan Hughes, WR, Laurier Golden Hawks
You want to talk about superstar potential? Look no further than Laurier's Ryan Hughes. The 6'2", 150-pound Mississauga native is coming into his third year with the Golden Hawks and jumped off the screen in 2024, as he provided even more versatility to Laurier's mighty receiving corps with a total of 24 receptions, 446 yards, and six scores. Hughes also performed some returner duties, compiling a total of 310 yards through both punt and kick returns.
The game that best represents who Ryan Hughes as a football player is none other then the 2024 Uteck Bowl which Laurier competed in against the Bishop's Gaiters. In that matchup, Hughes had a ridiculous 212 receiving yards on just eight catches and three touchdowns as the Golden Hawks defeated the Gaiters 48-24. Hughes' connection with 2024 Hec Creighton winner Taylor Elgersma was a significant reason for Laurier winning that game and advancing to the 59th Vanier Cup. In the national championship, he would score another touchdown in their 22-17 loss against the Laval Rouge et Or. Preceding the Uteck Bowl, Hughes also reeled in seven catches for 113 yards and a touchdown in Laurier's 51-31 Yates Cup victory over Western.
Laurier will be fielding a new quarterback in 2025, and whoever that is will be subject to an embarrassment of offensive riches. As Hughes enters another year with the team, he will most likely see more snaps at receiver based on what he accomplished last season and what his game-wrecking abilities can provide for the team. It is also unknown whether Raidan Thorne will return this year, so if he does not, it leaves the door open for Hughes to take a more active role.
He will be an excellent option to mix things up in the passing game as defences will scheme heavily against returning players Ethan Jordan and Layomi Ojutalayo. Hughes is fast, possesses quick-twitched movements that aid his route-running abilities extremely well, and has very soft hands to pull in most throws. He is danger personified as a pass-catcher.
2. Avery Ford, WR, York Lions
At 6'4" and 195 pounds, Avery Ford was York's best receiver in just his first year in 2024. The Chantilly, Va., native arrived to York from the NCAA's Old Dominion University and immediately showed the OUA what he is all about. Last season, Ford quietly led the Lions in just about every major receiving category, such as yards (527), receptions (35), touchdowns (five), and yards per catch (15.1). Ford's receiving yard total was sound enough to finish sixth in the OUA. Surprisingly enough, even after all of that, Ford did not receive an OUA All-Star nod last season.
There is one glaring reason to believe that Ford's production will increase by a noticeable amount in 2025, and that is the incoming transfer of former McMaster Marauder quarterback, Keagan Hall. Hall is one of the nation's best passers and will naturally uplift all of those around him on offence, including Ford, who will presumably be the Lions' number one wideout this year. His big frame, toughness, and ability to bring down contested catches will all appeal to Hall as the Lions hope to make a playoff berth for the first time since 2004.
If both Hall and Ford establish a connection early on in the season, York will come out of the gate looking like one of the province's most dangerous teams. Ford is a game-breaker, and all signs indicate that what he showed last year in his first season as a Lion is just a precursor for the special moments that are to come. A new quarterback, a full offseason of improvements, and a fresh, healthy culture that is surrounding this program are all keys to unlocking them.
3. Ethan Dolby, RB, Western Mustangs
As the Mustang's top two rushers, Keanu Yazbeck and Keon Edwards, depart the team, they leave behind a valuable hole to fill in the depth chart. The Mustangs have a rich history of producing excellent running backs, and the next in line may be Ethan Dolby from St. Thomas, Ont., who played in seven games for the Mustangs in 2024, one behind leading rushing scorers Yazbeck, Edwards, and quarterback Jerome Rancourt.
Dolby, a 5'10", 210-pound back, was the third leading rusher on the team with 324 yards as he split carries. He scored three touchdowns and averaged 8.3 yards per carry on 39 rushes in 2024. Entering his third year, Dolby is an efficient runner who can use his build to evade defenders and power through them if need be. He has two seasons of experience in head coach Greg Marshall's system, which should tailor him to the responsibilities as the Mustang's primary ball-carrier in 2025. Western typically dresses four running backs for games, so Dolby may split some carries between other backs, Marcell Phillips, Ben Cottrell, and Jack Kelly, just as Yazbeck and Edwards did with each other.
Dolby gets the nod here for Western because of his previous in-game snaps that he has played for them at running back across 87 total rushes. The Mustangs will once again put out one of the nation's top lineups in 2025, and they always consistently field a relentless and terrific offensive line, which will help to increase Dolby's production. His size allows him to be dangerous in the short-yardage passing game, if quarterback Evan Hillock needs to relieve pressure on himself. Experience counts in U SPORTS, and when you gain that under a legendary figure such as Greg Marshall — who was also a running back in his playing days — it tends to rub off on you.
4. Nathan Denkers, TE, McMaster Marauders
McMaster finds itself in a complex spot for 2025 because of their major offensive departures, such as those of quarterback Keagan Hall, and receivers Nicholas Adair, James Priestner, and Jackson Cooling.
Regardless of who the next Marauder quarterback is, whether it is Luke Thalman or Lucas Barresi, that signal-caller will need some more help to step up across the offensive board to fill those holes in the depth chart. One of those players who is in a prime position to take the next step in his personal development while simultaneously helping the team is tight end, Nathan Denkers.
Denkers is a 6'4", 230-pound beast of a player who has steadily improved in his statistical output since enrolling at Mac. Denkers has a total of 232 yards on 23 receptions and just one score in his two seasons, but 179 of those yards and that singular touchdown came last season as the Marauders achieved their first playoff berth since 2019. The Hamilton native will most likely play a larger part in the game-to-game offensive plan than he did in 2024, as his size and athleticism will provide an easy safety valve for a quarterback to dump the ball off if need be. Denkers can also be a serviceable run-blocker at his size with the power to take on linebackers, which can help take a bit of the load off Mac's tackles on outside runs depending on where he lines up.
It would not be surprising to see Denker's name rise up statistical sheets in 2025 because of how much the Marauders will likely use him. The list of names leaving the offence begs for new ones to step up and Denkers looks like he will be one of those names called upon to help supplement the offensive production of the team in this era of uncertainty for Mac.
5. Marco Piccioni, LB, Windsor Lancers
The Windsor Lancers will lose a critical piece of their linebacker corps in 2025 as Devin Veresuk was drafted second overall by the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats back in April. Since he enrolled, Veresuk was a non-stop machine for the blue and gold, finishing in the top five in Ontario for total tackles twice. His departure leaves a notoriously big hole to fill on the defensive side of the ball, but, fortunately, they may already have the perfect replacement waiting in the wings in 5'11", 215-pound Guelph native Marco Piccioni.
Piccioni flashed great ability in his rookie season in the OUA. He played in all nine of Windsor's games, including their playoff loss, and racked up 24 total tackles, one tackle for loss, and a team-leading two forced fumbles, which shows the power and intensity that he brings to the linebacker position. His performances were so impressive that he even received an OUA All-Rookie Team nod in 2024, officially solidifying him as one of the top up-and-coming U SPORTS football players in Ontario.
It is no secret that Piccioni and the rest of the linebacker corps have big shoes to fill in the absence of Veresuk. Another player whose status is up in the air is Liam Hoskins, who, according to the CFL's database, appears to have retired from football after spending time with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
However, based on Piccioni's intense efforts and performances in his first year, it seems like Windsor has one of Ontario's most quietly dominant defenders as he ascends in his development from his first to his second year. Piccioni will join up with fifth-year Sal Raap-Kopiyka, another solid linebacker, and possibly second-year Donni Hartley to round out the Lancers' linebacker group for 2025. Get used to seeing number 56 in blue and gold fly around the field for seasons to come in Windsor. He is an exceptional talent with the potential to develop into one of Canada's supreme U SPORTS defenders.
6. Oliver Jackson, DL, Queen's Gaels
Oliver Jackson ranked third on the Gaels for sacks in 2024 with three. He was a component of a defensive line that featured two current CFL pros in Darien Newell and Silas Hubert, and still found ways to stand out.
Coming into his third year of eligibility, Jackson seems primed to break out on the Gael's defensive line in 2025 based on two reasons: his production being overshadowed in comparison to other more experienced players on the defensive line and how adept he is at shedding blockers and getting to the backfield. Along with ranking third on the team in sacks, Jackson tallied five tackles for loss. His best performance last season came on Oct. 21, when the Gaels hosted Guelph at Richardson Memorial Stadium. In that game against one of the OUA's better offensive lines, Jackson exploded for two and a half tackles for loss and two and a half sacks.
Queen's defensive line will be much different in 2025 than it was last year, due to the many departures to the CFL or graduation. With two years under his belt featuring excellent performances, the 6'1", 230-pound Jackson can elevate that much more in year three and even has the opportunity to solidify himself as Queen's top defensive lineman. He will likely see plenty of double-teams in 2025, but he has the talent, length, speed, and power to overcome those situations. Expect Jackson to be a crucial component of Queens' defensive game plans on game days.
7. Michael Omoseni, LB, Waterloo Warriors
Michael Omoseni is a defender who embodies versatility. In 2024, the 6'3" linebacker was the team's leader in tackles with a whopping 45.5 across all eight games while also averaging 5.7 per game, which is also first among all Waterloo defenders. To complement those figures last season, Omoseni also had a tackle for loss, five pass breakups, which shows his agility, and a team-leading two interceptions with both coming in a game against Laurier on Oct. 21. To say that Omoseni is a good all-round linebacker would not be doing justice to Waterloo's most impactful defensive player in 2024. He is great.
Never having made an all-star team, Omoseni is one of Ontario's most underrated players, but at the same time, he is someone that most OUA programs would gladly accept on their rosters. He will be entering his third year of eligibility in 2025 and will likely be paired up on game day with fellow linebackers James Hinsperger and, if he is back for a fifth year, Keesean Bowen.
Omoseni has the capabilities to be a gamebreaker for opposing teams. What is scary to envision is that he has a lot of room to develop, and what we have seen from him in his first two seasons so far is relatively raw. Offensive coordinators and quarterbacks must always be aware of his presence, as he can disrupt the passing game just as effectively as the running game. Omoseni should be a force to be reckoned with for Waterloo in 2025 and a significant bright spot for them as they try to avenge their winless 2024 campaign.