RIDERS INK DEFENSIVE BACKS JEROME AND ONYEKA
The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed American defensive back Lorenzo Jerome and Canadian defensive back Godfrey Onyeka.
Jerome (5’11-205lbs) comes to the Roughriders after spending the 2019 season with the Calgary Stampeders. The 26-year-old played seven games for the Stamps, making 11 defensive tackles, six special teams tackles and one interception.
Prior to coming to the CFL, Jerome was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2017 playing in four regular season games and making three tackles. He spent a brief period with the Seattle Seahawks in 2018 playing in all four pre-season games and notching 13 tackles.
The Florida native played collegiate ball at St. Francis University where he was well decorated for his talents beginning back in his rookie season. He was the NEC’s first ever four-time First Team selection, earned All-America honors as a junior and senior both as a defensive back and return specialist and became the first player in SFU program history to earn invitations to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl – where he was named the game’s MVP – Senior Bowl and Scouting Combine. Jerome’s 18 career interceptions rank second all-time in SFU and NEC history. In his senior year he was a STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award Finalist (FCS National Defensive Player of the Year) and was named All-America by Athlon Sports, Associated Press, College Sports Madness, HERO Sports, STATS FCS and Walter Camp Foundation as a defensive back. College Sports Madness also named Jerome All-America as a kick returner. As a freshman, he played in 11 games making 56 tackles, six interceptions and four pass break-ups and was named NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Onyeka (6’2-200) joins the Green and White after spending two seasons with the Edmonton Football Team. He played 27 games making five defensive tackles and 13 special teams tackles. Onyeka was selected in the second round (10th overall) by Edmonton in the 2018 CFL Draft.
The Brampton native was a standout at Wilfred Laurier University where he was a three-time USPORTS First Team All-Canadian, a three-time OUA First Team All-Star and a 2014 OUA All-Rookie. In 2016, he helped the Golden Hawks win the OUA Championship.
Over his four seasons at Laurier, he made 180 defensive tackles, 10 interceptions, 11 knockdowns, five forced fumbles and two sacks.
