The Saskatchewan Roughriders keep adding players to their training camp roster with the start of C-F-L camps just over two weeks away on May 15.
The Green and White signed California product Jermaine Kelly Thursday morning. He attended B-C’s training camp last year after being drafted into the N-F-L by Houston and spending time with San Francisco. On Wednesday, the Riders inked import defensive back Levonta Taylor and American running back Frankie Hickson. Taylor is a Florida State grad who spent time with the N-F-L’s L-A Rams while Hickson also returned kicks for Liberty University. Following are the news releases from the Roughriders…..
DATE: April 28, 2022
RELEASE TIME: IMMEDIATELY
RELEASE: SR22-050
ROUGHRIDERS SIGN AMERICAN DB JERMAINE KELLY
The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed American defensive back Jermaine Kelly.
Kelly (6’1-204) was selected by the Houston Texans in the seventh round, 222nd overall, of the 2018 NFL Draft. In December of 2019, he was signed to the San Francisco 49ers practice roster, staying with the Club until the summer of 2020. He attended training camp with the B.C. Lions in 2021.
The California native spent three collegiate seasons at San Jose State (2015-17), playing in 25 games. Over that time, he registered 79 total tackles, 18 pass knockdowns, two fumble recoveries plus an interception returned 68 yards for a touchdown. As a senior, Kelly led the team and was third in the Mountain West Conference with 12 pass break-ups. Prior to his transfer to San Jose State in 2015, he spent two seasons at the University of Washington.
DATE: April 27, 2022
RELEASE TIME: IMMEDIATELY
RELEASE: SR22-049
ROUGHRIDERS SIGN AMERICANS TAYLOR AND HICKSON
The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed American defensive back Levonta Taylor and American running back Frankie Hickson.
Taylor (5’10-190) was signed by the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent following the 2020 NFL Draft, attending training camp with the Club. In 2021, he played for the Sea Lions in The Spring League.
Taylor spent four collegiate seasons at Florida State (2016-19) playing in 35 games with the Seminoles. The Virginia native showed great versatility lining up at both cornerback and safety over his tenure at FSU. He went on to make 90 career tackles, including five-and-a-half for loss, one sack, four interceptions – two of which he returned for a touchdown, 10 passes defended and one forced fumble. His two career interception return touchdowns ranks fourth all-time in FSU history.
Hickson (5’8-200) spent five collegiate seasons at Liberty University (2015-19), playing in 47 games for the Flames. Over that time, the Virginia native earned 610 carries for 2,898 yards and 30 touchdowns. Hickson became the first Liberty running back to rush for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons in more than a decade. He finished his collegiate career as the program’s all-time leader in all-purpose yards with 4,494 and having earned Phil Steele’s Independent All-Conference First-Team honours as a senior. Prior to his breakout junior season, Hickson contributed as a returner, where in his first season on the field he earned 707 total kickoff return yards (the second most in program history) and averaged 25.2 yards per kickoff return (ranking second in the Big South). His strength as a returner saw him named Big South second-team all-conference in both his freshman and sophomore seasons.
