Three Former UNLV Rebel Linemen Take Center Stage In CFL Week 1

Tiger Shanks, Brett Boyko, and Kyle Saxelid—three former UNLV offensive linemen—will all be on CFL opening day rosters as the 2025 season begins this weekend.

UNLV Rebels quarterback Jayden Maiava (1) celebrates his touchdown pass with offensive lineman Tiger Shanks (70) in the first quarter against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Stadium. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Canadian Football League kicks off on Friday and three former UNLV football stars will be on opening day rosters. The three former Rebels who will be suiting up are Tiger Shanks, Brett Boyko, and Kyle Saxelid. All three of which are offensive linemen. 

Shanks has been covered at depth here. He just played for UNLV last season before declaring for the 2025 CFL Draft. The big tackle was a stud for the Rebels who earned two First Team All-Mountain West honors. In April, he made history becoming the highest Rebel ever drafted in the CFL. The Montreal Alouettes selected him with the fifth pick in the first round of the draft. We expect him to start at right tackle when the Alouettes take on the reigning Grey Cup champions, the Toronto Argonauts. 

With the fifth pick in the 2025 #CFLDraft, the Montreal Alouettes select Tiger Shanks. pic.twitter.com/5lH8IsuRIo

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 29, 2025

Boyko last played for the Rebels in 2014. The Canadian native is originally from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Prior to coming to the CFL, he did a stint in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Chargers and also left the CFL in 2022 to play for the Orlando Guardians in the XFL. In 2019, he joined the CFL after a year in the AFF. He initially played with the BC Lions then Saskatchewan Roughriders. After his season in the XFL, he came back home to Canada and has now played with the Edmonton Elks since 2023. His opener this weekend will be a revenge game against the Lions. 

Saxelid is a seven-year veteran of the CFL. After stints with the Edmonton Eskimos and Hamilton Tiger-Cats, he now enters his second season with the Calgary Stampeders. He will also be taking on a former team when the Stampeders face off against the Tiger-Cats in their opener.