For Dhel Duncan-Busby, the past year has seemingly elapsed in the time it takes to run a 40-yard dash.
“Honestly, it has been a whirlwind,” reflects the 25-year-old Saskatchewan Roughriders receiver, who excitedly awaits his second season of professional football.
Twelve months ago, he was poised to participate in the CFL Combine — an event that will next be held Friday to Sunday in Regina. (For more information, click HERE.)
After starring for the Minnesota-based Bemidji State Beavers, Duncan-Busby took part in testing, one-on-one drills and the interview process at a Winnipeg-based Combine.
That was a prelude to the 6-foot-1, 207-pounder being selected by Saskatchewan in the third round (23rd overall) of the 2024 CFL Draft.
Along the way, there was plenty of scrutiny, but he was unfazed.
“Before the Combine, I was training so much that I really didn’t have a lot of time to think about it,” Duncan-Busby says.
“I had my pro day before going to the Combine, so I already had a little bit of experience going out there and doing the best that I can do. I don’t think there were a lot of nerves for me. I just did what I had to do and it turned out for the best.”
The athletic component to the Combine was second nature for Duncan-Busby. The interview process, however, required some getting used to.
He spoke to the Montreal Alouettes at a showcase before the Combine and with representatives of the other eight teams while in Winnipeg.
“Honestly, it all went pretty well,” he recalls. “You had a couple (of interviews) where it was like, ‘OK, we’re going to push you to see what kind of reaction we can get out of you.’ There were a couple where they praised me a lot.
“It was interesting to compare my take on it to other people’s testimonies about how their interviews went.
“I’m very confident with what I can do on the field and stuff like that but just sitting there, looking at them face to face in the interviews, was probably the most nerve-wracking part of that whole experience.”
Post-Combine, he continued to train while awaiting the CFL Draft.
“I honestly had no clue where I was going to go until my name was called,” he says.
As a rookie, Duncan-Busby started the Roughriders’ final six games, including both playoff contests.
He caught 16 passes for 188 yards in seven regular-season appearances after recovering from a hand injury sustained at Coors Light Training Camp.
“I’m very grateful for the experience so far because it has made me mature and it has made me learn more about myself,” he says. “I feel very grateful to be on this journey and to get this opportunity.”
Now he looks forward to hitting the ground running when this year’s training camp opens May 11 at Griffiths Stadium in Saskatoon.
“I feel like I’m ready to take a big step,” Duncan-Busby says.
“I’m ready to rock. I was telling my girlfriend that I’m counting down the days until training camp so I can go back on the field.
“Last year, there was a lot of timidness. It was like, ‘OK, I need to see where I fit.’ Kind of knowing what my position is on the team and what’s expected of me will help me settle in a lot easier.
“Obviously, once you get that experience, it’s kind of hard to try to go backwards. It’s just really about taking the next step forward and doing whatever I can so we can take it all home this year.”
