Here are the 5 former Riders drafted into the new XFL
Five players who spent time with the Saskatchewan Roughriders are taking their shot at the XFL when the league relaunches under new ownership in 2023.
The current iteration of the XFL began in 2020 before being forced to cancel its season partway through due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A new ownership group that includes Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson took over later that same year, holding their start up draft last week.
Most of the former Riders selected were only with the team for less than one season.
K.D. Cannon – D.C. Defenders:
With a pick that showed an inclination for initials, 27-year-old wide receiver K.D. Cannon was selected by the D.C. Defenders in the third round.
Cannon played in six games for Saskatchewan in 2018 and 2019. In his second season, he caught 11 of 12 passes for 149 receiving yards but did not mark a receiving touchdown during his CFL run.
Rashard Davis – Seattle Sea Dragons:
Another wide receiver who wore green and white in a few regular season games, 27-year-old Rashard Davis was taken by the Seattle Sea Dragons in the seventh round of the XFL draft.
Davis only spent one season in Saskatchewan, appearing in four games and catching one of three passes for 12 yards.
Dieuly Aristilde - Orlando Guardians:
Signing with the Roughriders in May, 25-year-old Dieuly Aristilde Jr. will now try his hand at receiver for the XFL’s Orlando Guardians.
Selected by the Guardians in the tenth round, Aristilde was cut by the Riders in July after several preseason appearances and one regular season game where he did not record a catch.
A.J. Hendy – Houston Roughnecks:
Defensive back A.J. Hendy is now a member of the Houston Roughnecks, drafted in the 14th round.
This is not Hendy’s first XFL stint: he was a member of the New York Guardians in the league’s previous iteration before signing with the Roughriders for 2021.
During that season, he made 14 defensive tackles over 11 games and recorded one interception.
Hendy re-signed with Saskatchewan in March 2022 but did not make it past the final round of roster cuts in June.
Tommy Champion - Houston Roughnecks:
Offensive lineman Tommy Champion never played a regular season game with the Roughriders, but now he’ll try and become a staple of the Roughnecks offensive line.
Champion did appear in the 2022 CFL preseason, but was cut by the Riders in June.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada Disability Benefit needs to safeguarded from clawbacks, MPs unanimously agree
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
BREAKING Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Turfing Poilievre from House a clear sign of desperation by Trudeau Liberals
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
Your body needs these three forms of movement every week
Movement is movement, right? Not exactly. Here’s what your body is looking for in addition to your morning walk or yoga session, according to experts.
Six Canadian children repatriated from detention in Syria, Global Affairs Canada says
The Global Affairs Department says six Canadian children have been repatriated from detention in northeastern Syria.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Quebec to limit sperm donations per donor after 3 men from same family father hundreds of children
Quebec is looking at tightening the regulations around sperm donation in the province following the release of a documentary that revealed three men from the same family fathered hundreds of children.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.