The Saskatchewan Roughriders announced the signing of former NFL ball carrier Xavier Turner on Tuesday.
Turner (5’10 – 225 lbs) comes to the team after spending time with the Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks. Turner was Seattle’s leading rusher in Week One of the preseason with 13 carries for 42 yards, adding one reception for eight yards. Turner played three more preseason games for Seattle adding four rushes for 29 yards.
The Texas native attended Tarleton State, rushing for 1,469 yards and 22 touchdowns in his senior season, including two games where he rushed for more than 200 yards and seven where he rushed for more than 100. He was the team’s offensive MVP and was named Lone Star Offensive Back of the Year award on the way to winning the conference championship. As a junior in 2017, Turner led his squad with 765 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns while catching 37 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown. He was also named to the second-team All-Lone Star Conference. Prior to attending Tarleton State, Turner spent two collegiate seasons at Navarro College rushing for 1,118 yards in 18 games.
Turner now joins a crowded Rider backfield that includes two-time Divisional All-Star William Powell, second year man Jamal Morrow, and Canadians Kienan LaFrance, Atlee Simon and David Savard.
