Montrealalouettes.com
Montreal – The sensational CFL debut of Montreal Alouettes quarterback Rakeem Cato has not gone unnoticed, as he has been selected third among the CFL’s most outstanding players in July. In three starts, the 23-year-old pivot has lead the team to a 2-1 record. His victories came against both Grey Cup finalists, the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Cato (6’0’’, 178 lbs.) opened many eyes during the first steps of his professional career. As the starting quarterback for the Alouettes, Cato threw for 822 total yards and 4 touchdown passes. His stellar beginning can be linked to the strong chemistry he has built with his receiving core. His relationship with receiver SJ Green has helped them become one of the fiercest duos in the CFL.
He had a flawless outing against the Calgary Stampeders during his first ever professional game, completing 80% of his passes for 241 yards and three touchdown passes en route to a 29-11 victory over the reigning Grey Cup champions. His performance earned him the top spot among week 2 CFL Top Performers.
Visiting the Winnipeg Blue-Bombers the following week, the former Marshall University Thundering Herd once again put up a stunning performance, recording an impressive 317 total passing yards. He connected with S.J. Green on numerous occasions, allowing him to top his personal record with 180 receiving yards.
He brilliantly met the challenge ahead against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in a heated battle that finished 17-13 in favour of the Alouettes. In addition to picking up 264 passing yards, he also ran for a total of 30 yards, extending plays and making sure his offence stayed on the field. He then threw an outstanding pass to S.J. Green for a touchdown.
From the NCAA to the CFL, the one aspect of his game that has never changed is his throwing accuracy, as he sits third for completion rate among all CFL quarterbacks (72.2%).
Top Performers in the Canadian Football League are selected by former CFL players turned analysts on TSN and RDS Duane Forde, Matt Dunigan and Pierre Vercheval. Fans can go vote for their choice via the CFL Twitter account. Each week, the player who obtains the most fan votes will receive bonus point
