Former Laval star Mital getting up to speed on CFL
Former Laval star receiver Kevin Mital was on the field Wednesday when the Argonauts opened rookie camp at the University of Guelph. The 2022 Hec Crighton Trophy winner said one element of the pro game already stands out.
“Everything goes fast,” Mital said. “You’ve got to learn the whole playbook, new terms. You’ve got to speak the same language as the coaches, but they do a great job of taking time to tell us what to do. It’s pretty fun and exciting.”
The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind for the 26-yearold from Saint-Hubert, Que. He was drafted fifth overall on April 30, signed a rookie deal, packed his belongings and moved out of an apartment in Quebec City, bringing only what he needed to Guelph.
“I’ve been in a rush for the last week or so,” Mital said. “But now is the fun part, to play football and try to learn everything and show the coaches they made a good decision by picking me.”
Mital had 22 catches for 280 yards and three touchdowns in four games with Laval last season. But in 2022, he led U Sports in catches (58) and yards (751) with 12 touchdowns and became the first receiver to win the Hec Crighton since Western’s Andy Fantuz in 2005.
“Of course, there’s a lot of pressure,” he said. “When you’re the first pick of a team, I think the only thing you can do is disappoint people. You can’t surprise anyone, so I’m just trying not to disappoint anyone and show what I did at the combine is something I can do for a CFL team.”
Toronto had a need for a Canadian receiver after trading all-star Kurleigh Gittens Jr. to Edmonton for American defensive lineman Jake Ceresna, another all-star.