The Saskatchewan Roughriders are only 16 days away from their first workout of 2025.
Rookie camp is to run from May 7 to 9 at Griffiths Stadium in Saskatoon. Main training camp, presented by Coors Light, kicks off on May 11.
As the first spring session looms, Riderville.com is doing a pre-Draft deep dive into the personnel at the various positions.
The four-part series begins today with a look at the quarterbacks, receivers, running backs and fullbacks.
NOTES: (A) denotes American; (N) denotes National … players are listed in numerical order.
QUARTERBACKS
#7 TREVOR HARRIS (A): Divisional All-CFL selection in 2024.
#9 JAKE MAIER (A): 22 TD passes for Calgary last year.
#14 JACK COAN (A): Threw TD pass in CFL on-field debut, Oct. 26, 2024.
#16 MICHAEL HIERS (A): Spent time on practice roster last year.
#17 TOMMY STEVENS (A): CFL’s co-leader in rushing TDs (10) with Calgary in 2024.
“It’s a good quarterbacks room,” Offensive Co-ordinator Marc Mueller says. “Everybody is a bit different, but they do a lot of the things that help you to function and win in the league.
“You’ve got to be able to throw guys open and you’ve got to be able to anticipate and I think everybody in that room can do that.
“They can also get out of trouble. You have to be able to do that in the CFL to extend a play or two a half.
“I’m just excited to have guys who can learn from each other, but they’re also different as well.”
Harris returns after throwing 20 TD passes in 11 starts last season. He boasted the CFL’s top quarterback-efficiency rating (108.4) and established a franchise single-season record for completion percentage (72.4).
Maier and Harris give Saskatchewan two of the four CFL quarterbacks who threw 20-plus TD passes last season.
Stevens, a short-yardage weapon, rushed for 10 scores with the 2024 Stampeders.
Coan was with Saskatchewan all of last season and impressed everyone with his skills and studious nature.
Hiers will get a longer look after a practice-roster stint.
RECEIVERS
#2 MARIO ALFORD (A): Veteran return specialist added a key reception in June 24 win in Hamilton.
#3 KeeSEAN JOHNSON (A): Caught all five passes that were thrown to him in the 20-plus yards range.
#15 SHAWN BANE JR. (A): Tied team record with three TD catches in 2024 opener.
#18 DHEL DUNCAN-BUSBY (N): Started last year’s final six games as a rookie.
#19 SAMUEL EMILUS (N): Back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.
#80 WAYNE RUBY JR. (A): 30 TD catches at Mount Union in 2022.
#81 MITCH PICTON (N): Two of 16 receptions produced a TD in 2024.
#82: JOE ROBUSTELLI (A): Second-year Roughrider boasts speed and size.
#83: TOMMY NIELD (N): Two-time Grey Cup champion (Toronto, 2022 and 2024).
#84 Ja’MARCUS BRADLEY (A): Played in eight games for Cleveland Browns (2020-21).
#85 D’SEAN MIMBS (N): Sixth-round Draft pick in 2024.
#88 DOHNTE MEYERS (A): 24 catches for 349 yards in five games as a rookie.
#89 KIAN SCHAFFER-BAKER (N): Team-playoff-record 12 catches in 2024 Western Final.
JAYDEN HORACE (A): 11 TD catches for Fort Hays State in 2023.
TY JAMES (A): Twice exceeded 1,100 receiving yards at Mercer.
The Roughriders welcome back eight receivers who started at least one game for them in 2024.
Nine players have starting experience if you include Nield, who spent the past four seasons with the Toronto Argonauts.
“There’s always great competition,” Mueller says. “We have really good guys who are returning — guys who have proven that they can play.
“They all do things a bit differently, but they all do things that are asked of them. They can run by people, they can make the tough catch, and they can block.
“That’s a big part of a Canadian Football League room. Without the bigger rosters and the extra down, you’ve got to have receivers who can dig guys out every once in a while and play physical. We’ve got guys who do that well.
“That group works extremely hard. They stay after (practice) and throw and run. A lot of those guys can run all day, which is pretty admirable.
“We also have good depth, whether they are Canadian or American. Whatever roster fits for that week to help us win, I think that’s what everybody will do.”
RUNNING BACKS
#24 TRENT PENNIX (A): Bruising runner spent time with Indianapolis Colts in 2024.
#27 KHALAN LABORN (A): All-purpose back played in six games with 2024 REDBLACKS.
#30 THOMAS BERTRAND-HUDON (N): Averaging 6.6 yards per rush after first two pro seasons.
#45 A.J. OUELLETTE (A): Three TD runs in two playoff games last year.
FULLBACKS
#39 MORGEN RUNGE (N): Poised for third consecutive Roughriders camp.
#41 ALBERT AWACHIE (N): Unselfish contributor to Roughriders since 2017.
Ouellette rushed for a team-best 558 yards in eight games last season, when he missed nine starts due to injury.
“A.J. is the guy who, when he’s in there, everybody wants him to be — including himself,” Mueller says.
“You’ve got the utmost confidence in him to function and to have the offence function at a position where a lot of the most important things are overlooked. There’s blocking and pass protecting and staying on schedule on first down.
“The thing that A.J. did a great job of is he made the three-yard runs five yards. Even with the three-yard runs, the difference between second-and-10 and second-and-seven is really big in this league.
“I’m really excited for him and the entire room, because most of the guys have been here before or have been in the league before.
“With the running backs group and the fullbacks, I’m very excited to see how they do in training camp.”
