Cleyon Laing facts for kids
Laing with the Ottawa Redblacks in 2023
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| No. 90 – Ottawa Redblacks | |||||||||
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| Position: | Defensive lineman | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | November 21, 1990 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 280 lb (127 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Holy Trinity Catholic | ||||||||
| College: | Iowa State | ||||||||
| CFL draft: | 2012 / Round: 1 / Pick: 9 | ||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2013 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||
| CFL status: | National | ||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career CFL statistics as of 2024 | |||||||||
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| Player stats at CFL.ca | |||||||||
Cleyon Laing (born November 21, 1990) is a Canadian professional football player. He plays as a defensive lineman for the Ottawa Redblacks in the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Laing was chosen ninth overall by the Toronto Argonauts in the 2012 CFL Draft. He is a four-time CFL East Division All-Star. He has also won the Grey Cup championship twice. He won with Ottawa in 2016 and with Toronto in 2017. Before playing professionally, he played college football for the Iowa State Cyclones.
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Cleyon Laing's Football Journey
Cleyon Laing has had an exciting career in professional football. He has played for several teams in both the CFL and the NFL.
Starting with the Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts picked Cleyon Laing in the 2012 CFL Draft. He officially joined the team on May 15, 2013, after finishing college. He played for the Argonauts for three seasons. During this time, he made 72 tackles and 16 sacks. He also caused two fumbles and scored a safety. His strong play in 2015 earned him a spot as a CFL East All-Star. This success caught the eye of teams in the NFL.
Time with the Miami Dolphins
On February 29, 2016, Laing signed with the Miami Dolphins in the NFL. He was released by the Dolphins on September 3, 2016. This was part of their final team cuts before the season. The very next day, he was signed to the Dolphins' practice squad. He stayed there until October 31, 2016, when he was released again.
Joining the Ottawa Redblacks
Just three days after leaving the Dolphins, Laing signed with the Ottawa Redblacks of the CFL. This happened right before their last game of the regular season. Laing played in one regular season game for the Redblacks. He also played in two playoff games. One of these was the Grey Cup victory against the Calgary Stampeders.
Back with the Toronto Argonauts
On April 29, 2017, Laing returned to the Argonauts. Even though he missed some games due to an injury, he had a great season. He recorded five sacks and forced a fumble in 11 games. He was named a CFL East All-Star for the second time. In the playoffs, Laing made the first sack of the 105th Grey Cup. The Argonauts won the game 27–24 against Calgary. This was his second Grey Cup championship in a row!
In January, Laing signed a two-year extension with Toronto. He started the 2018 season very well, getting three sacks in the first four games. The Argonauts did not make the playoffs that year. However, Laing played in all 18 games. He had 44 tackles and six sacks. He was named to his third CFL East All-Star team. He was also nominated for the CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player award.
The 2019 season was similar for Laing and the team. The team struggled and missed the playoffs. Laing had another strong start to the season. He earned four sacks in three games. He won the Toronto award for Most Outstanding Defensive Player for the second year in a row. He was also named Toronto's Most Outstanding Canadian Player. Laing was chosen for his third straight Eastern All-Star team. He was the only player from Toronto's defense to receive this honor.
Returning to the Ottawa Redblacks
On February 11, 2020, Laing signed a three-year contract with the Redblacks. This happened when he became a free agent. The 2020 CFL season was cancelled. For the 2021 season, Ottawa changed Laing's contract. He played in 13 out of 14 games that season. He made 25 tackles and three sacks. On January 14, 2025, Laing and the Redblacks agreed to extend his contract through 2026.
About Cleyon Laing's Life
Cleyon Laing has an older brother who is a Canadian actor and model named Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman. His biological father has Jamaican roots.
