Ottawa Redblacks sign former Saskatchewan Roughriders RB Mario Anderson Jr.: sources

Photo courtesy: Saskatchewan Roughriders

The Ottawa Redblacks have signed American running back Mario Anderson Jr., per sources.

The 25-year-old appeared in nine games with the Saskatchewan Roughriders as a rookie in 2025. He rushed 24 times for 134 yards with two touchdowns and recorded four receptions for 13 yards. The five-foot-eight, 205-pound ball-carrier was released by the team among final roster cuts in May.

The Summerville, S.C. native finished his collegiate career at the University of Memphis, where he earned a first-team All-American Athletic Conference selection. He rushed 236 times for 1,362 yards, 5.8 per carry, with 18 touchdowns and caught 52 passes for 312 yards plus three scores with the Tigers.

Prior to Memphis, Anderson played for the University of South Carolina where he rushed 143 times for 707 yards, 4.9 per carry, with three scores, including a 75-yard run, while catching 22 passes for 153 yards and one touchdown. He began his collegiate career at Newberry College, where he played three seasons (2020-2022). During his time with the Wolves, he rushed 513 times for 3,301 yards, 6.4 per carry, with 35 touchdowns. In 2022, he rushed 211 times for 1,560 yards and scored 19 touchdowns en route to earning first-team All-American honours in the NCAA Division II ranks.

Ottawa made Greg Bell the CFL’s highest-paid American running back last offseason, though he didn’t dress for the team’s regular-season opener due to a neck injury. Rookie Elijah Collins started in his place, but he suffered an injury early in the game after fumbling the football in a loss against Edmonton. Canada Daniel Adeboboye took over versus the Elks, he ran 12 times for 87 yards with one touchdown and caught three passes for seven yards.

The Redblacks (0-1) host the Toronto Argonauts (0-1) in Week 3. Kickoff goes at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday in the nation’s capital.