The excitement is apparent when Jalon Edwards-Cooper discusses an eventful and joyous past few weeks.
“I have a newborn, so everything is starting new for me in 2024,” the 27-year-old defensive back says. “I feel like Saskatchewan will be a great place to do it.”
That is why he signed with the Roughriders on Feb. 13 — Day 1 of the CFL’s free-agency period.
“It’s a great opportunity for me and a chance to start something fresh,” Edwards-Cooper says from his home in Houston. “I’ve been in B.C. for the past three years and I feel like Saskatchewan is going to be a new beginning for me.”
Another new beginning.
Edwards-Cooper and his wife, Ashley, welcomed their first child (Aspyn) six weeks ago.
“It’s amazing being a dad, besides not getting sleep,” a proud father says with a chuckle. “Man, it is bad right now! But, other than that, I’m really enjoying it.
“They’re coming with me to Saskatchewan as well. Bringing them with me, I feel like that’s going to give me a great boost.”
On the field, defensive backs generally are not in favour of separation. The same philosophy now applies in a geographic sense.
“What I do, of course it’s for me, but I also do it for my family,” he says. “Just having a daughter now, it changes things. It gives you a very different outlook on life.
“Honestly, I was a dude who just ran around a lot during the off-season with my friends and stuff but, having a daughter, she sat me down all the way.
“I’ve been with her the whole time. I can’t leave her side.”
Rider Nation is now on Edwards-Cooper’s side. The enthusiastic fan base gave him plenty of incentive to sign with Saskatchewan, as did two of the Roughriders’ new arrivals — Head Coach Corey Mace and Pass Game Co-ordinator/Defensive Backs Coach Joshua Bell.
“It’s a new start under Coach Mace,” Edwards-Cooper says. “I talked to him and I talked to Coach Bell. They’re good people and I think they’ve brought a great team here to Sask.
“I just really want to be around Riderville. I played there a couple of times with B.C. and, just seeing it, it made me want to be a part of it.”
Seeing it — and experiencing the energy produced by the fans — made a difference.
“You can’t help but feel it when you walk into the stadium,” Edwards-Cooper says.
“It’ll be nice to have all the fans cheer you on instead of boo you.”
Edwards-Cooper once heard the cheers while excelling in two sports — football and basketball.
An aptitude for basketball was a natural. He was named after his mother’s favourite NBA player (Jalen Rose).
“I was kind of forced to play football when I was young,” Edwards-Cooper says. “My uncles were running a Little League team and they were like, ‘Your cousins are playing. You can’t not play.’ “Football came along, but I never really took it seriously until high school. Then I realized, ‘I’m pretty good at this thing right here. I’m good at basketball, but I think I’m really good at football.
“I started getting those offers and I thought, ‘Yeah, I think I’m going to play football.’ ”
Edwards-Cooper proceeded from Dekaney High School in Houston to Texas A&M University-Commerce and moved 500 kilometres upstate.
His first collegiate interception was returned for a 52-yard touchdown.
He also enjoyed an auspicious start in the professional ranks, making an interception in his first CFL game — with the B.C. Lions against the Calgary Stampeders on Aug. 12, 2021.
Over 30 games with the Lions, he registered 79 defensive tackles and three interceptions.
In 14 games last season, the 5-foot-11, 175-pounder registered 36 tackles (including three for a loss) and one interception (on July 22 against the visiting Roughriders). He also returned a blocked field goal 62 yards for a touchdown.
Having witnessed that skill set first-hand, Roughriders Vice-President of Football Operations and General Manager Jeremy O’Day made it a priority to reach out to Edwards-Cooper as soon as the free-agent negotiating window opened on Feb. 4.
The deal being done, what can Roughriders fans expect?
“I’m very into the game and I’m passionate about what I do, so I feel like people will be able to see that on the field with the way that I play,” Edwards-Cooper says.
“I’m also big on being a team player. Wherever I’m playing, I know I’m going to do my job and I’m going to bring energy to the team.”
