The Saskatchewan Roughriders addressed their Canadian content before and after the CFL’s free-agent market opened in February.
On Thursday, the Roughriders will look to add a little more national depth via the CFL draft.
Saskatchewan currently has five selections in the eight-round lottery, with picks in the first (fifth overall), second (14th overall), fifth (36th overall), sixth (45th overall) and eighth (63rd overall) rounds. The draft begins at 6 p.m., Saskatchewan time.
Last June, the Roughriders surrendered a fifth-round pick in the 2018 draft to select linebacker Brandyn Bartlett in a supplemental draft.
The Green and White also traded away six selections in a variety of transactions, including a second-rounder to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the January deal that brought quarterback Zach Collaros to Saskatchewan.
The Roughriders targeted some of their own Canadians before free agency began, re-signing the likes of receiver Devon Bailey, centre Dan Clark and fullback Spencer Moore. After the market opened, Saskatchewan signed nationals such as tailback Jerome Messam, receiver Jake Harty, linebacker Sam Hurl and defensive tackle Zack Evans.
But the Roughriders also said goodbye to some Canadians in the off-season, with players like defensive backs Elie Bouka (released; signed with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles) and Jeff Hecht (released), receiver Nic Demski (signed as a free agent with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers), linebacker Henoc Muamba (released; signed with the Montreal Alouettes), tailback Kienan LaFrance (released; signed with Winnipeg), defensive lineman Ese Mrabure (signed as a free agent with the Calgary Stampeders) and offensive lineman Peter Dyakowski (released) moving on.
Here’s a look at the Roughriders’ current Canadian depth entering Thursday’s draft:
Quarterback — Brandon Bridge
Bridge appeared in 12 games (with one start) during the 2017 regular season and also came off the bench in the East Division final. He was a changeup to starter Kevin Glenn last season and used his extended playing time to make his case for even more action in 2018. There are quarterbacks in the draft class — including Noah Picton of the University of Regina Rams — but it’s unlikely the Roughriders will use one of their five picks on a pivot.
Jerome Messam (2015)
Running backs — Albert Awachie, Jerome Messam, Spencer Moore
Messam can be a ratio-breaker if he can hold off Cameron Marshall, Trent Richardson and Marcus Thigpen to win the starting tailback job. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Messam is still an effective ball-carrier — he rushed for 1,016 yards and nine touchdowns with Calgary last season — but he is 33 years old. Moore is a proven commodity at fullback, while Awachie is still learning as Moore’s understudy.
Receivers — Rob Bagg, Devon Bailey, Jake Harty, Mitchell Picton, Denzel Radford, Joshua Stanford
The Roughriders have a mix of veterans and youngsters among their Canadian receivers, so the team may not feel the need to draft a pass-catcher — or maybe it does. Bagg, Bailey and Stanford combined to catch 41 passes for 438 yards and three TDs for Saskatchewan in 2017 and Harty had 27 receptions for 226 yards and a TD for Ottawa. The Riders selected Picton in the fifth round last season, but he returned to the U of R for his final season of eligibility. He could join Radford on special teams while learning the CFL ropes.
Dariusz Bladek
Offensive linemen — Emmanuel Adusei, Dariusz Bladek, Dan Clark, Dalton Houghton, Brendon LaBatte, Danny Sprukulis, Josiah St. John, Jeremy Zver
The release of Dyakowski would seem to open the door for Bladek to become a starter in his second CFL season. Adusei, St. John and Zver were reserves last season and Sprukulis stayed at the University of Toronto after being selected in the sixth round of the 2017 draft. Houghton attended Saskatchewan’s mini-camp in Florida but, as a converted defensive lineman, he’s still learning how to play on the O-line. This position could be an area of focus in the draft.
Defensive linemen — Zack Evans, Makana Henry, Eddie Steele
Evans was a highly sought-after player on the free-agent market, so his signing was an important one for the Roughriders. Steele was re-signed after hitting the open market following a season in which he teamed with Henry and Mrabure to comprise the Canadian contingent on the D-line. The Roughriders could use more Canucks at this position.
Linebackers — Brandyn Bartlett, Alexandre Chevrier, Kevin Francis, Alexandre Gagne, Dillon Grondin, Sam Hurl, Cameron Judge
The Roughriders’ Canadian linebackers were a battered bunch in 2017, with Bartlett, Francis, Grondin and Judge missing various amounts of time due to injury. If they all return at 100 per cent, Saskatchewan may not need any more Canucks. Gagne was on the practice roster for much of 2017 and he’ll be joined in Saskatchewan this season by his former University of Sherbrooke teammate, Chevrier, who returned to school last season after being selected in the seventh round. Like Messam, Hurl can be a ratio-breaker ifhe wins the job as the starting middle linebacker, although it appears likely the Roughriders will use an international at that spot.
Mike Edem
Defensive backs — Marc-Olivier Brouillette, Mike Edem, Adam Laurensse
Laurensse was acquired from Calgary last season, which he spent at the University of Calgary after being drafted by the Stamps. A five-time Canada West all-star, Laurensse attended the Roughriders’ mini-camp in Florida. He joins Brouillette and Edem as candidates to play safety — the only position in the Roughriders’ secondary that is expected to be a Canadian spot. Adding another DB/special-teamer in the draft is a distinct possibility.
Specialists — Josh Bartel, Tyler Crapigna, Jorgen Hus, Brett Lauther
The Roughriders are set in these positions, so it’s highly unlikely they’ll look here in the draft. With punter-kicker Quinn Van Gylswyk gone — he signed as a free agent with B.C. — Lauther was signed as an insurance policy for the punting and placekicking positions. The aforementioned Gagne is a long-snapper, so he can back up Hus.
