GUELPH, Ont. — He has a Grey Cup ring and 100-catch season to his credit, yet receiver Kevin Mital doesn't allow himself to feel comfortable at Toronto Argonauts training camp.
Even entering his third CFL season, the former Laval star diligently takes notes during team meetings, understanding there's no such thing as a detail that's too small.
"That's the thing I'm trying not to do, become too comfortable," Mital said Wednesday following Toronto's on-field session at Alumni Stadium. "What I've learned from the past two years is when guys come to training camp and get too comfortable, they get a surprise and get cut.
"I always try to be on top of things. I'm still taking notes, I try to be the first one out on the field, I try to stay late and write down every detail because business is business. It's still training camp, you're still fighting for a job every year … you've got to earn your spot."
That's a mature approach for such a young player. Mital, 27, began his collegiate career at Syracuse in 2019 before transferring to Laval in 2020, leading the Rouge et Or to a Vanier Cup title in 2022, the same year he captured the Hec Crighton Trophy as Canadian university football's top player.
Toronto selected Mital in the first round, fifth overall, in the '24 CFL draft.
After registering 18 catches for 201 yards in 12 games as a rookie, the six-foot, 229-pound Mital had 102 receptions for 886 yards and four touchdowns in 18 regular-season contests last year. And with the absence of veteran receivers DaVaris Daniels (retirement) and Canadian Dejon Brissett (free agent Calgary), Mital could become an even more important member of Toronto's receiving corps in 2026.
"We still have a good group of receivers," he said. "We've got Makai (Polk), we have (Damonte) Coxie, we have Dave (David Ungerer III), we have Jake (Herslow) and we've got some good rookies coming up.
"As long as we win games, the whole offence has good games and we're putting points on the board, that's all that matters."
Mike Miller, Toronto's first-year head coach, said the Argos won't be looking for Mital to shoulder more responsibility in 2026.
"We're going to ask everybody to play a role and Kevin does that and does it well," he said. "You've just seen such steady improvement from him over the years.
"He has a mature understanding of the offence and now he's getting into the finer details of the execution. And I'll tell you, he's an outstanding human being and we're lucky to have him. He has had a great impact on this offence already."
Miller added Toronto's expectations of Mital will have nothing to do with statistics.
"We just expect him to have the same maximum effort that he always gives," he said. "That stuff (stats) kind of takes care of itself.
"It's about our execution, playing physical and finishing. He does that and embraces it well."
Mital usually plays slotback but has the physical ability to line up at wide receiver. However, he leaves no questions regarding his preference.
"Depending on the formation and play, we're all over the field with everybody trying to mix up things," he said. "But I like slot, I like having that 10-yard waggle."
Mital's stellar '25 season came with veteran Nick Arbuckle under centre as Chad Kelly missed the entire campaign with a leg injury suffered in the '24 East Division final. Kelly is back with the club in camp and projected as Toronto's opening-day starter.
Mital said it really doesn't matter to receivers who's playing quarterback.
"We still have to run our routes, we still have to do our job and make our blocks whoever is back there," he said. "For sure, we love having Chad back but if it's Chad, it's Chad and if it's Nick, it's Nick."
The Holy Grail for pro receivers is reaching the 1,000-yard plateau each season. Doing so this year would not only be a career first for Mital but also be timely given he's entering the final year of his current deal with Toronto.
Of more importance to Mital is earning a second Grey Cup ring after being part of Toronto's 2024 championship squad.
"That (second Grey Cup win) would be good," he said. "I still have to do my job and put up good stats to earn that next contract.
"I'm trying to have the best season I've ever had in the CFL."
