Argos sign former Riders No. 1 pick, Canadian OL Josiah St. John

The Toronto Argonauts have signed Canadian offensive lineman Josiah St. John to a one-year contract through the 2019 season, per sources.

St. John was selected No. 1 overall in the 2016 CFL draft and spent three seasons in Regina playing in 22 games. The Riders elected not to re-sign the 27-year-old prior or during free agency in 2019.

The Toronto native – Pickering High School graduate – went the junior college route, Fresno City College and Trinity Valley Community College each for a year. He chose to attend the University of Oklahoma after many NCAA scholarship offers from other major Division I programs such as Kansas, Baylor, Arizona State, Arkansas, Florida State, Mississippi, Oregon State, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and West Virginia.

After redshirting in 2013, St. John played in 13 games as a junior, seven as a senior including four starts for the Sooners. Then-head coach and general manager Chris Jones was enamoured with the pedigree St. John had and chose the six-foot-five, 309-pounder with the first choice in the 2016 CFL draft.

Still young in the pro football world, St. John returns home to play for the double blue and try to capitalize on the potential displayed while at Oklahoma.

Justin Dunk is a football insider, sports reporter and anchor.