January 29, 2021

Riders Sign Defensive Back Kenneth Acker 

RIDERS SIGN DEFENSIVE BACK KENNETH ACKER 

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed American defensive back Kenneth Acker.  

Acker (6’0-195lbs) joins the Roughriders after five years in the NFL, playing in 40 regular season games. He was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round (180th overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft. He went on to play 15 games in 2015 making 63 tackles, three interceptions and 21 passes defended. The Oregon native was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2016 and suited up for 25 games, earning 39 tackles, four passes defended and one interception. He also had stops with the Indianapolis Colts and the Jacksonville Jaguars.  

Acker played four collegiate seasons at South Methodist University (2010-2013) where in his senior year he was named American Athletic Conference Second Team and to the Thorpe Award Watch List. As a junior he made the Top 10 in the Conference USA for punt return yards, interceptions, interception return yards, interception return touchdowns, and passes defended. He played in 46 games for the Mustangs making 159 defensive tackles, 36 passes defended, seven interceptions – including one he ran back for a touchdown – one sack and one blocked kick he returned for a touchdown. The 28-year-old also saw time on special teams as a kick and punt returner. Over his collegiate career he returned 15 kick offs for 315 yards and 14 punts for 113 yards.