Kevin Mital (born April 1, 1999) is a Canadian professional football wide receiver for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played U Sports football for the Laval Rouge et Or of the RSEQ conference. He is a Vanier Cup champion after winning with the Rouge et Or in 2022 and was named the game's MVP. He also won the Hec Crighton Trophy in 2022 as U Sports football's most outstanding player.

Kevin Mital
No. 10     Toronto Argonauts
Mital with the Toronto Argonauts in 2024
Born: (1999-04-01) April 1, 1999 (age 25)
Longueuil, Quebec, Canada[1]
Career information
StatusActive
CFL statusNational
Position(s)Wide receiver
Height6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight222 lb (101 kg)
CollegeSyracuse Orange (2019)
UniversityLaval Rouge et Or (20202023)
High schoolAndré-Grasset College
CFL draft2024, round: 1, pick: 5
Drafted byToronto Argonauts
Career history
As player
2024–presentToronto Argonauts
Career highlights and awards
HonoursFirst Team All-Canadian
(2022)
Second Team All-Canadian
(2021)
Career stats

University career

edit

Syracuse Orange

edit

Mital first committed to play college football for the Syracuse Orange in 2019 where he used a redshirt season.[1] However, on July 1, 2020, it was reported that he had decided to leave Syracuse and transfer schools.[2]

Laval Rouge et Or

edit

Mital transferred to Université Laval in 2020, where he intended to play for the Laval Rouge et Or, but the 2020 U Sports football season was cancelled.[3] In 2021, he played in eight regular season games where he had 45 receptions for 554 yards and seven touchdowns and was named a Second Team All-Canadian.[4][5]

In 2022, Mital had a dominant season as he finished first in the country in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns, with 58 catches for 751 yards and 12 touchdowns in eight regular season games.[5] For his strong season, Mital was named a First Team All-Canadian and won the Hec Crighton Trophy, becoming the first receiver to win the award since 2005.[6] In the post-season, he led the Rouge et Or to a Dunsmore Cup championship as he recorded nine receptions for 116 yards and three touchdowns in the victory over the Montreal Carabins.[7] Mital then played in his first Vanier Cup game where he led all receivers with eight receptions for 142 yards and had one passing touchdown for one yard.[8] He was named the 57th Vanier Cup game's Most Valuable Player as the Rouge et Or defeated the Saskatchewan Huskies by a score of 30–24.[9]

In 2023, Mital played in four games where he had 22 receptions for 280 yards and three touchdowns.[10]

Professional career

edit

In the Canadian Football League's Scouting Bureau final rankings, he was named the 10th-best player available in the 2024 CFL Draft.[11][12] He was then drafted in the first round, fifth overall, by the Toronto Argonauts in the draft.[13] It was announced that Mital had signed with the Argonauts on May 6, 2024.[14] After beginning the year on the six-game injured list, he made his professional debut on July 27, 2024, against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.[15]

Personal life

edit

Mital was born to parents Chantal and Mario Mital and has one sister.[1]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "Kevin Mital". Syracuse Orange. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  2. ^ "Canadian-born Kevin Mital leaving Syracuse for a university in Quebec". NBC Sports. July 1, 2020.
  3. ^ "Canadian WR Kevin Mital leaves Syracuse football". Syracuse Orange. July 4, 2020.
  4. ^ "Vanier Cup finalists top the U Sports football All-Canadian charts". U Sports. December 2, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Statistics". U Sports. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  6. ^ "Laval's Kevin Mital wins 2022 Hec Crighton Award". U Sports. November 24, 2022.
  7. ^ "Statistics". U Sports. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  8. ^ "Statistics". U Sports. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  9. ^ "Hec Crighton winner Kevin Mital lifts Laval Rouge et Or to Vanier Cup victory over Saskatchewan". 3DownNation. November 26, 2022.
  10. ^ "Kevin Mital". U Sports. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  11. ^ "Isaiah Adams holds top spot in spring CFL Scouting Bureau rankings". Canadian Football League. April 17, 2024.
  12. ^ "Star Laval receiver Kevin Mital likely to return for one more U Sports season but won't rule out turning pro". 3DownNation. December 8, 2022.
  13. ^ "Argos pick WR Kevin Mital fifth overall". Canadian Football League. April 30, 2024.
  14. ^ "Boatmen sign nine from 2024 CFL draft class". Toronto Argonauts. May 6, 2024.
  15. ^ "Game Notes" (PDF). Canadian Football League. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
edit