3 days ago
Can we assemble a current team of former Roughriders?
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Neufeld, a 2010 draft pick who was traded away by Saskatchewan early in his career, has been a three-time CFL all-star over his last 12 seasons in Winnipeg. He would anchor a guard position alongside Bladek, who was drafted by the Roughriders in 2017 and played three seasons before heading East in free agency.
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Godber, a Rider from 2023-24, would solidify the centre position while Lofton (2023) and Boyko (2021) would serve as the right and left tackles. Szott, who had a short stint on the practice roster in 2023, could serve as the sixth man.
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Defensive line
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Willie Jefferson (Winnipeg Blue Bombers), Anthony Lanier II (Toronto Argonauts), Demarcus Christmas (Toronto Argonauts), Bryan Cox Jr. (Toronto Argonauts), Miles Brown (Calgary Stampeders)
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Jefferson is another former Rider (2016-18) who has gone on to excel with the Bombers. The six-time CFL all-star would be joined on the defensive line with three players who left in free agency last year in Lanier, who was a Rider from 2021-24, Cox (2023-24) and Brown (2022-24). Christmas (2022-23) would be in the rotation as well.
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Darnell Sankey (Montreal Alouettes), Cameron Judge (Toronto Argonauts), Derrick Moncrief (Calgary Stampeders), Micah Teitz (Calgary Stampeders), Gary Johnson Jr. (Calgary Stampeders), Alexandre Gagne (Montreal Alouettes), Adam Auclair (B.C. Lions), Brian Harelimana (Toronto Argonauts), Stephen Smith (Toronto Argonauts)
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Sankey was outstanding in 2022 with the Green and White as he had 120 tackles. After an XFL stint, Sankey has been continued to be an elite defender with the Alouettes for the past three seasons.
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Judge is another Riders first-round draft pick who is currently playing elsewhere. After being the second overall pick in 2017, Judge was the West Division's top Canadian in 2019 before leaving Saskatchewan for Toronto in 2021. While he played for Calgary from 2022-24, he's back with the Argonauts this year. Teitz, who played for the Riders from 2018-23, and Auclair (2024) would offer solid Canadian depth.
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Rounding out the linebacking corps would be Moncrief, an all-star in 2019 who played for the Riders for parts of five seasons (2017-19, 22-23) while Johnson (2019-22) played plenty of special teams during his time with the Riders as did Gagne (2017-19) and Harelimana (2023). Smith, a Regina Thunder product who spent time on the practice roster with Saskatchewan last year, got his first taste of CFL action this season in Toronto.
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Damon Webb (Calgary Stampeders), Deontai Williams (B.C. Lions), Amari Henderson (Ottawa Redblacks), C.J. Coldon (Ottawa Redblacks), Jalon Edwards-Cooper (B.C. Lions), Godfrey Onyeka (Calgary Stampeders)
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And in the defensive backfield, some recent Roughrider castoffs including Williams (2023-24) and Henderson (2022-24) would be in the mix alongside Webb (2020-22), who was a CFL all-star in 2024 after being cut by the Riders in 2022.
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While Onyeka (2021-24) could play safety, Coldon, a 2024 training camp cut who is now a starting cornerback for the Redblacks, would be joined by Edwards-Cooper, who signed with the Riders in free agency in 2024 before failing his physical and being released.
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