Photo: Darcy Finley/CFL.ca
The New York Jets hosted a trio of CFL players for a workout on Friday, including the league’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player and Most Outstanding Rookie. Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston was the first to report the workout.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ returner Trey Vaval took home both awards after he led the league in punt return yards (957), missed field goal return yards (391), and kick return touchdowns (four). The 25-year-old native of Blue Springs, Mo., also finished third in all-purpose yards (2,266) and fifth in kickoff return yards (918).
The five-foot-eleven, 163-pound speedster set a single-game CFL record with 199 missed field goal return yards in a 26-18 win over the Ottawa Redblacks in September. He also started four games at cornerback, recording 21 defensive tackles, four special teams tackles, and one interception.
Joining Vaval for the workout were Hamilton Tiger-Cats returner Isaiah Wooden and Calgary Stampeders receiver Damien Alford.
Wooden saw action in 14 games for the Ticats, leading the CFL in punt return average (15.0) and finishing second in kickoff return average (26.3). He amassed 1,782 total return yards and tied for the league lead with four touchdowns despite suffering an arm injury midway through the season.
The 25-year-old product of Southern Utah first signed with the B.C. Lions in 2024 and spent time on the team’s practice roster, before being released and signing in Hamilton. He reportedly ran a 4.38-second forty-yard dash at his pro day last year.
Alford was selected by the Stampeders with the first overall pick in the 2025 CFL Draft, appearing in 15 games for the team as a rookie. The native of Montreal, Que., caught 20 passes for 407 yards and five touchdowns despite serving primarily as a backup.
The six-foot-six, 224-pound deep threat was barely utilized at the University of Utah as a senior, but recorded 67 receptions for 1,291 yards with seven touchdowns over the previous four seasons with Syracuse. He ran a 4.46-second forty-yard dash at the Big 12 pro day last year.
The NFL workout window opened on Monday, November 17 and closes on February 10, 2026, at 12:01 p.m. ET. The window to sign with an NFL team opens January 5, 2026, and ends February 10, 2026, at 12:01 p.m. ET.
NFL teams must ask CFL franchises for permission to work out players, but the request cannot be denied. CFL players can opt out of their agreements north of the border if an NFL team offers a contract, though the CFL team retains their exclusive rights for the remainder of the pre-existing contract.