EDMONTON – Hergy Mayala just won’t be denied.
The receiver was a late addition to the Elks roster, signing less than a month before Training Camp. Since then, all the Montreal, Que. product has done is impress and make plays.
Tuesday in Training Camp was no different. Mayala hauled in several catches on the day, including an impressive snag over some tight coverage by Donnie Lewis Jr. for another addition to his growing highlight reel. As much as the practice performances have been good, it pales in comparison to his Elks debut last Saturday against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Mayala was all over the field, wrapping up the night with the top receiving performance in the CFL with 90 yards on six receptions.
Not too bad for a player who didn’t know where he’d be playing football in early April.
“I always felt like I can do it. It’s never a thing where I feel like I lost it,” Mayala said about his game. “The day I lose it, I’m probably going to retire, but let me just go out there and show what I can do. You know what I mean?”
Hergy Mayala (#11) makes a highlight reel catch over Donnie Lewis Jr. (#28) in Tuesday’s Training Camp session
Mayala is certainly making the case for an expanded role for himself, much to the Elks benefit. The Green and Gold’s Canadian wide receiver contingent is brimming with talent now that Mayala, Kurleigh Gittens Jr, Gavin Cobb, and Vincent Forbes-Mombleau are all in the fold. The emergence has not come out of nowhere for the 28-year-old, who comes to Edmonton with a solid pedigree.
Mayala first burst onto the Canadian Football scene back in 2019 as a member of the Calgary Stampeders, hauling in 38 catches for 562 yards and five touchdowns in 16 games as a rookie. The former eighth-overall pick in the 2019 CFL Draft was especially dominant down the stretch for the Stamps, recording at least 70 yards receiving in four of his final five games in 2019 — while also eclipsing the 100-yard plateau twice and recording two multi-touchdown games.
“I mean, he’s a good player,” General Manager and Head coach Chris Jones said of Mayala. “He was drafted in the first round, and some other people quit on him, so we brought him in to see, exactly what he could do.”
As Coach Jones alluded to, Mayala has not been able to gain a solid foothold in the CFL despite another solid year in 2022 with Montreal, where he recorded 33 receptions for 409 yards and two scores. He wrapped up his season last year with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats but was held off the stat sheet.
Thing have been different so far in Edmonton. As the highlights keep stacking up, it’s fair to say that Mayala has made the most of his opportunity. His strong preseason performance was an eye opener to what the 6-foot-1 receiver believes he can bring to the Elks offence.
“Versatility, I think I play inside and outside, and that game was just kind of showed the coaching staff that I’m somebody that they can trust,” Mayala said.
Mayala hauls in one of his six receptions against the Roughriders on Saturday
Mayala entered camp ahead of the game when it came to one of the most important factors in a receivers success — establishing a connection and chemistry with his quarterbacks. Back in 2023, he had signed a contract with the New Orleans Breakers in the USFL, but was unable to commit to the team due to Visa issues. In the short time with the now defunct squad, Mayala was able to get in some work with then Breakers quarterback and now Elks quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson. That isn’t his only experience with the Double E’s QB room.
“It’s funny because I got the chance to throw with McCleod when I was on the USFL and I created a connection with him down there,” Mayala said. “With Tre (Ford), he came to Montreal for about two weeks this offseason, so we threw together.
“I’m just excited with every single one of the quarterbacks that we have, and I feel like I can help all of them make plays if they ever need me to.”
Mayala will get an opportunity to build chemistry with the rest of the Elks QBs when the club head to Vancouver to wrap up their preseason of Friday against the B.C. Lions. It’s another opportunity for the receiver to cement his place in the lineup, but also another chance to enjoy the new lease on football he has experienced with the Elks.
“Going into year five, I just get a chance to get in a new environment,” Mayala said. “I feel like it’s a fresh start for me. I’m having a good time just enjoying the game of football.”