Ottawa Redblacks linebacker Nyles Morgan leads CFL in tackles despite 0-4 start
The middle linebacker has recorded 31 tackles through four games, nearly double his nearest competitor, as Ottawa searches for its first win.
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Nyles Morgan is having an outstanding season for a team having a rough one. The Ottawa Redblacks' middle linebacker leads the entire CFL in total tackles, defensive tackles, and tackles for losses through four games, racking up 31 tackles despite the team sitting winless at 0-4.
Morgan, a 29-year-old who played college football at Notre Dame before five seasons with Edmonton, was acquired by the Redblacks this off-season when Ottawa traded a third- and fourth-round pick to the Elks. The trade also brought back a third-rounder, a fifth-rounder, and Morgan himself — essentially dropping eight spots across two draft rounds to land the defender.
"I've been adapting well to my new defence and my new teammates, and I've been doing really well so far," Morgan said of his transition to Ottawa.
The next closest defender in the league has just 17 tackles. Bennett Williams, who was filling a support role for the Redblacks, suffered a season-ending Achilles injury on Friday against Saskatchewan.
Morgan grew up idolizing Bears linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, modeling his own game on their versatility — linebackers who could move despite carrying substantial weight. He'll face his former team, Edmonton, on Thursday, July 9 in what could be an opportunity for Ottawa to snap its losing streak.
