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 then with Toronto in 2017. Before playing professionally, he played college football for the Iowa State Cyclones.
Contents
Playing Professional Football
First Time with Toronto Argonauts
Cleyon Laing was picked by the Toronto Argonauts in the 2012 CFL Draft. He signed with 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 forced two fumbles. His strong play, including being named a CFL East All-Star in 2015, 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. The next day, he joined their practice squad. He was released from the practice squad on October 31, 2016.
First Time with Ottawa Redblacks
Just three days after leaving the Dolphins, Laing signed with the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League. This was 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 their Grey Cup victory against the Calgary Stampeders.
Second Time with Toronto Argonauts
On April 29, 2017, Laing signed with the Argonauts again. Even though he missed some games due to an injury, Laing had a great season. He recorded five sacks and forced one 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.
Laing signed a new two-year contract with Toronto in January 2018. He started the 2018 season very well, getting three sacks in his first four games. The Argonauts did not make the playoffs that year. However, Laing played in all 18 games. He made 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 for his team.
The 2019 season was similar for Laing and the team. The team struggled and did not make 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.
Second Time with Ottawa Redblacks
Laing became a free agent and signed a three-year contract with the Redblacks on February 11, 2020. The 2020 CFL season was cancelled. In 2021, Laing played in 13 out of 14 games. He made 25 tackles and three sacks. On January 14, 2025, Laing and the Redblacks agreed to extend his contract through 2026.
Personal Life
Cleyon Laing's older brother is Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman. Jeffrey is a Canadian actor and model. Laing's biological father is from Jamaica.
