The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed six players they selected in the 2022 CFL Draft, including offensive lineman Zack Fry (second-round pick), linebacker Tommy Bringi (fourth-round pick), defensive back Tristan Fleury (fifth-round pick), defensive back Jayden Dalke (sixth-round pick), defensive back Zach Herzog (seventh-round pick) and receiver Riley Boersma (eighth-round pick).
Fry spent three collegiate seasons at Western University, playing in 33 games and making 28 starts at right tackle. The London, Ont. native was named an OUA first-team all-star as well as a U Sports second-team All-Canadian in 2019 and 2021.
The six-foot-six, 304-pound blocker capped off the 2021 season by helping the Mustangs capture their eighth Vanier Cup in school history. He was also named to the OUA All-Rookie Team in 2018.
Bringi spent three collegiate seasons at the Wilfrid Laurier University, playing in 23 games. In his collegiate career, the London native racked up 147 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, three interceptions, and two pass breakups. The 21-year-old was named an OUA first-team all-star in 2019 and 2021.
Fleury spent four collegiate seasons at McGill, playing in 32 games as a Redbird. The Quebec native made 120 career tackles, including two tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, three interceptions and seven pass breakups. The six-foot-two, 192-pound cover man was named a team captain for the 2021 season.
Dalke played in 16 games over three collegiate seasons at the University of Alberta. The Leduc, Alta. native recorded 94 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, seven pass breakups, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery in a Golden Bears uniform. He was named a Canada West first-team all-star and a U Sports second-team All-Canadian this past season.
Herzog spent five collegiate seasons at Hillsdale College, playing in 30 games as a Charger. The Windsor, Ontario native made 244 defensive tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss, averaging 8.1 tackles per game. He also added one sack, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, three interceptions and eight pass breakups. He was named first-team All-Conference in three consecutive seasons.
Boersma spent four collegiate seasons at the University of Regina, playing in 19 games. The 21-year-old made 39 catches for 763 yards and six touchdowns with the Rams, averaging 19.6 yards per reception. He had a strong showing at the CFL Combine, recording the second-best 40-yard dash time at 4.49 seconds and tying for the best vertical jump at 40.5 inches.
Saskatchewan’s first-round pick, receiver Samuel Emilus out of Louisiana Tech, has yet to sign with the team.
The Riders have also added four players as territorial juniors, including linebacker Konner Johnson, offensive lineman Connor Klassen, defensive lineman Reece McCormick, and offensive lineman Riley Schick.
Johnson is a fourth-year linebacker and long snapper with the Saskatoon Hilltops. In 2021, he was named a Prairie Football Conference (PFC) all-star after making 26 tackles, a conference leading 12 special teams tackles, five knock downs and five interceptions while adding one sack. He won a National Championship with the Hilltops in 2019.
Klassen joins the Roughriders from the Regina Thunder where he was named a 2021 PFC all-star. As part of the Thunder offensive line, Klassen helped the team rush for the second-most yards of net offence in the Prairie Football Conference with 3,355 while also amassing an average of 172.3 yards rushing per game and a 5.79 yard-per-rush average.
McCormick joins the Roughriders at training camp after a stellar rookie season with the Regina Thunder. The defensive lineman was named a CJFL All-Canadian, the 2021 PFC Rookie of the Year and a PFC All-Star after making 16 defensive tackles and three quarterback sacks.
Schick has played two seasons with the Regina Thunder, and was named a PFC All-Star in 2021. Alongside teammate Connor Klassen, Schick helped the offence score the second most touchdowns in the conference at 30, as well as earn the second highest net offence per game at 419 yards.
Josh Donnelly will also be in camp with the Riders as part of the U Sports Canadian quarterback internship program.
Donnelly capped off his third year with the University of Regina Rams with an appearance in the East-West Bowl. The Regina native has played 11 games over three seasons with the Rams, completing 189 passes for 2,946 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions and averaging 268 passing yards per game. He’s also rushed 37 times for 211 yards.
In his first year as a starter, the six-foot-three, 190-pound passer was third in Canada West in completion percentage (60.3 percent) and touchdown passes (12). Donnelly is the second Rams quarterback to participate in the Canadian Quarterback Internship Program after Noah Picton took part in 2017.
