As the Eskimos’ new middle linebacker, Justin Tuggle is considered the quarterback of the defence.
As a youth, he was actuhly a real quarterback.
It wasn’t until Tuggle transferred to Kansas State as a junior that he converted to defence. But if you consider the fact that his father, Jessie Tuggle, played middle linebacker with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons for 14 years from 1987-2000, was selected to five Pro Bowls and the College Football Hall of Fame, the position may have been in his blood all along.
Justin, however, was versatile enough to start at three different positions – middle linebacker, weak-side linebacker and defensive line – when the Toronto Argonauts were shorthanded because of injuries during his second season in the CFL in 2018.
Tuggle, who won a Grey Cup with the Argos in 2017, replaced Larry Dean with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last year after Dean signed as a free agent with the Eskimos.
Now, the two players have essentially swapped teams, with Dean returning to Hamilton as a free agent.
Tuggle, 30, had 80 defensive tackles, a quarterback sack, one tackle for a loss, an interception and six pass knockdowns in 18 regular-season games last year. He also had eight defensive tackles and an interception in a Grey Cup loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
A native of Alpharetta, Ga., Tuggle played 42 games with the Houston Texans from 2013-15, making 71 combined tackles (including assists). He also tried out with the Cleveland Browns in 2016.
Vontae Diggs, 24, the Eskimos Rookie of the Year in 2019, will start the season at weak-side linebacker with Jovan Santos-Knox on the injured list. Diggs, who played one game at middle linebacker last season and made 15 starts on the weak side, finished eighth in the CFL with 73 defensive tackles. The six-foot-two, 230-pound linebacker also had 11 special teams tackles, two quarterback sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries last year.
Santos-Knox played in only three games (two starts) late last season, but brought with him a boost of energy as he showed why the Eskimos signed him as a free agent by making 14 tackles and a sack.
Brian Walker, 24, probably comes into training camp as the favourite to start at the hybrid strong-side linebacker/defensive back slot. He more than held his own as a rookie when he filled in while Don Unamba was on the six-game injured list early in the season. The hard-hitting five-foot-nine, 184-pounder made eight starts overall – including two at defensive halfback – and played in 14 games last year.
Brandon Pittman, 26, played two games with the Eskimos in 2018, while national linebacker Blair Smith is a special teams standout, and Global player Maxime Rouyer of France also made his mark on special teams, playing in 17 games as a rookie.
Also hoping to make an impression during training camp are Josh Banderas (25, six-foot-three, 240 pounds), Malik Clements (23, six-foot, 210) and Justin Horton (26, six-two, 236).