The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed American wide receiver and kick returner Drae McCray and American defensive lineman Kendy Charles.
McCray (5’9-185) spent the previous two collegiate seasons at Texas Tech, appearing in 23 games for the Red Raiders. McCray shone as the team’s primary kick returner, returning 41 kickoffs for 1,113 yards and one touchdown over two seasons. He earned an All-Big 12 Honourable Mention in 2023 and 2024. On offence, he made 41 receptions for 329 yards and two touchdowns.
McCray had a breakout season in 2023, becoming one of top returners in the country. His 717 returns yards ranked third in NCAA, while his average of 27.6 yards per kickoff return was among the nation’s leaders and led the Big 12. Of his 26 total returns on the season, seven went for at least 30 yards, tying him for third in the NCAA, and three were for 50 or more, tying him for first in the nation. Known for his breakaway speed, he ran an unofficial 4.46 40-yard dash at Texas Tech’s pro day and Red Raider opponents often opted to kick away from him instead of face him in a return situation.
Prior to Texas Tech, the Florida native spent two seasons (2021-22) at Austin Peay, starting in all 22 games he played. McCray caught 129 passes for 1,888 yards and 17 touchdowns as a Governor and was a two-time All-Conference honouree. Despite spending just two seasons at Austin Peay, he left as the school’s all-time leader in receiving yards per game (85.8), was fifth all-time in touchdown receptions (17), and was the team’s first 1,000-yard receiver. He also recorded 100+ receiving yards in six games and had five multi-touchdown games.
Charles (6’0-287) joins the Roughriders after spending last season at Duke University. He played in all 13 games for the Blue Devils, registering 50 tackles, including seven for a loss, two sacks, one fumble recovery, one pass breakup and one quarterback pressure. He posted a career-high 11 tackles against Southern Methodist University in 2024 and added 10 against Virginia Tech. He received Second Team All-ACC honours in addition to being recognized for academic excellence.
Prior to transferring to Duke, Charles attended Liberty University for four collegiate seasons (2020-23), playing 37 games and starting in 21. Over those four seasons, he compiled 108 tackles, including 23 for a loss, 14 sacks, six quarterback pressures, one pass breakup, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble. Charles played in four bowl games while at Liberty and was a team captain in 2023.
