DeVonte Dedmon to bring his incomparable mentality and talent to NFL’s Miami Dolphins

In 2021 DeVonte Dedmon won the CFL’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player of the Year award. After gaining a total 2,063 return yards over 11 games with the Redblacks and scoring 3 return touchdowns, he was recognized as one of the best players across the entire Canadian Football League. On January 26th, 2022 that recognition paid off in big ways and really was made concrete as Dedmon signed a futures contract with the NFL’s Miami Dolphins. The contract came after a total 6 workouts across the NFL with the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Chargers and of course the Dolphins, and it was clear that the name DeVonte Dedmon was being talked about all over the NFL. For the Miami Dolphins, they mainly used both Jaylen Waddle and Jevon Holland in the return game over the 2021 NFL season. With Dedmon now in the mix, it looks as if he will take on the role as the Dolphins return specialist while both Waddle and Holland focus on their offensive and defensive duties which happen to be very important for the Miami Dolphins. Right now, after signing the contract with the Dolphins that is what looks like the plan in Miami, however it is important to note that nothing is guaranteed for Dedmon and that it will not be easy for him to make the final roster with the Dolphins. For Dedmon though, he is used to the challenge.

Since he stepped foot on the football field at a young age, he has been challenged and faced with adversity. DeVonte Dedmon, the super star kick returner and wide receiver you know now actually kicked his football career off on the offensive line playing youth league football in Williamsburg, Virginia where he grew up. He eventually made the move to be a skill position player. When it came time for high school football, while also playing at a high level on the basketball court as a point guard and shooting guard, Dedmon found himself balling out at quarterback, running back and receiver for Warhill High School. He put up numbers in the run, pass and receiving game, but it seemed like no matter how much he does, how much he put forward, he would never be the most talked about player, and really that is something that continued over the span of his football career until recently. Dedmon went on to stay close to home for University, taking the only serious offer he had to play at the next level with the William & Mary University Tribe, just a couple minutes from his childhood home.

Playing with the Tribe, he wasn’t necessarily on the biggest stage, William & Mary not being a power five school and all, but Dedmon was playing his best football at that stage. He was featured in the passing game as a dynamic receiver and also the return game as a deadly returner with crazy speed while also getting the odd carry in the backfield. Over the span of his 44 games played at William & Mary, DeVonte Dedmon, the hometown hero gained an all-purpose 3,825 yards, 2,037 of which coming from receiving yards, 1,548 from returns and 240 from the ground and scored 21 offensive touchdowns as well as two return touchdowns. He was a star for William & Mary. He’s in the books as a top 10, and even a top 5 player in some categories at the school, being mentioned among some of the greats like Michael “Pinball” Clemons, Sean McDermott and Mike Tomlin who played at the school before him, but like his high school career, his name wasn’t big enough to get the attention across the country and into the NFL. Sure, there were some teams interested to see him, and teams knew who he was, but there was never an opportunity given to Dedmon to play professional football until the CFL’s Ottawa Redblacks called.

Being scouted and discovered by Jean-Marc Edmé, who at the time was the Ottawa Redblacks director of player personnel, now with the Montreal Alouettes, Dedmon was given the opportunity that only few receive, and an opportunity he dreamed of to play football at the professional level. “They gave a kid from Williamsburg, Virginia an opportunity. I ran with it and I am extremely grateful for what they did for me.” Dedmon said to Jordan Zlomislic of JZ Media in a previous interview. Things didn’t come easy for Dedmon in Ottawa though. He told part of his training camp story to JZ Media on the podcast episode “Talking Phresh”, “I was told to pack for two weeks and I was like ‘what?’ because the season is 18 games, and that made me like a body for training camp and then I told my dad I was number 79 too and you could hear it in his voice, like thats not a good look but he pretty much told me to do what I do like I’ve done all my life and it will all work out.”

Obviously, it all ended up working out for Dedmon, and after gaining the Redblacks trust with his first touch as a professional athlete being a kickoff return touchdown in the 2019 CFL pre-season it was non stop success for him when he was healthy. His time on the field in 2019 was limited due to injuries, and due to a cancelled season in 2020 he only played a total 16 games with the Redblacks, but as alluded to earlier, it was non stop success when he was on the field. He had an all-purpose 3,179 yards and 6 scores on a total 165 touches and it seemed like every single time he had the ball in his hands, number 17 for the Ottawa Redblacks was ready to make a trip to the end zone.

With the opportunity in front of him now, to play with the Miami Dolphins and have the platform he can have in the NFL, DeVonte Dedmon could very well be a house hold name by the end of the 2022 NFL season. Sure, Dedmon is a gifted athlete. He is one of the best kickoff returners to ever play in the CFL and he has proven his abilities time after time, but what really makes him special compared to anyone else that the Dolphins may have already or will bring in to compete with him is the kind of person he is. Dedmon may be in Miami now, and he has signed a contract to be an NFL football player, but he is still that same kid that played offensive line in Williamsburg, Virginia. He remembers his roots, he remembers where he came from and he is extremely humble about all of the accolades he receives because like the COVID-19 pandemic showed him and a lot of people, all of those accolades can easily be taken away from him. DeVonte Dedmon, the football player, the person, the brand and the personality have worked extremely hard to get to this point in their respective lives and careers. He certainly has not just come this far to come this far. He has a lot in the tank, and has some statements ready to be made in Miami on and off of the football field, and Dolphins fans, and really all football fans across the world should have all eyes set on what’s to come from DeVonte Dedmon, a newly signed kickoff return specialist and offensive weapon for the Miami Dolphins.

Brandin Dandridge’s story comes full circle signing with NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, “it’s home”

This spring, 25 year old defensive back Brandin Dandridge will be fighting for a spot on the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL. After spending a part of his childhood and early life in the Kansas City, Missouri region, his life has come full circle with this new opportunity, but the journey to get here, on and off the football field has not been easy.

Dandridge mainly grew up in Des Moines, Iowa where he starred in many sports. He got his introduction to sports from his older brother. In an interview with JZ Media’s Jordan Zlomislic, while talking about his story, he said, “My brother played basketball and seeing him ball and grind, it made me want to follow in his footsteps in a way.” In Iowa he started to play basketball, baseball and football, which he would all continue to play when he and his family moved to Missouri, not too far away from Kansas City. While living in Missouri, Dandridge was mainly a star on the baseball diamonds. Dating back to when he was just getting started with baseball while in Iowa, “there were people around the fences watching my tee ball games because I was the only kid there that could hit over the fence home runs.” he said, “I played everywhere in baseball, mainly in the outfield but played 3rd base, pitched and caught too. When we moved to Missouri I actually played on a travel team, and thats when we first started seeing more about the Royals and Chiefs in Kansas City. Then when we moved even closer to Kansas City it was like, ‘wow there’s really an NFL and MLB team right down the road.'”

Going to Blue Springs South High School in Blue Springs, Missouri, Dandridge continued his baseball career, but also had a lot of focus on football. Being in the NFL was a big dream of his, but eventually going to a small school in Missouri Western State he didn’t know it was really a possibility until his senior year when he was getting interest and was talked about around the NFL. After making 74 tackles, 35 pass deflections, and 8 interceptions in his final two seasons of University at Missouri Western, he was looked at to actually go to the NFL out of University, doing something he didn’t think was possible. Unfortunately though, things didn’t work out exactly like that and his road to get to where he is now, now being in the NFL was a lot bumpier than he first pictured.

During that senior season at Missouri Western, Brandin Dandridge was nursing a knee injury. He wasn’t 100% sure what the injury was exactly, but he and those around him knew he could play through the injury in 2018 and take care of the injury after the season, getting the necessary surgeries and treatment to get back to one hundred percent. When asked about his story, and his whole life really, he told Zlomislic that this knee injury was the biggest, most influential turning point in his life. “I had good draft stock going into the year.” he said, “If I had another good year, and everything went well I probably would have been drafted, but to start out the year I knew I wasn’t 100%, and we knew there was something. Then around the middle of the season my knee was bugging me. I got an MRI, and it showed that there were loose bodies in my knee. I ended up playing the rest of the season, probably like 5 or 6 more games. Looking at it now, I probably shouldn’t have, but I didn’t know it was a big deal at the time. Come the last game of the year my leg was so swelled up, and it was stiff, I could barely move it, it was stuck in like a 90 degree angle. I thought that would be my last game of the year, have surgery and be ready for the pro day, and get into the NFL, but then we were eligible for a bowl game. The competitiveness in me made myself play that bowl game, and we ended up winning it, and it was a good experience, but it backed up my surgery and the plans I originally had. I ended up having surgery in December, and since it was more serious than they first thought it was, it ended up being a knee scope microfracture surgery. When I heard that, I started tearing up because I knew that the recovery for that was 6 months, everything would need to heal and I ended up missing pro day and really thought I’d miss out on the opportunity in the NFL, and at that moment in time it made me decide if I even wanted to keep going and play football. I knew I had the ability and talent to play at that level, I just knew that it would be a long journey to get there.”

Once he had fully recovered from his surgery, Dandridge got his first football opportunity with the XFL for a showcase in June of 2019. He said, “I was nervous, I didn’t really do any football activities since the surgery, and I didn’t even train that much leading up to it. Ran a 4.5 40 yard dash. After that I was looking for a job, and was actually in an orientation at UPS when my agent called me about Ottawa.”

When Brandin Dandridge had the opportunity to come to Canada and play with the CFL’s Ottawa Redblacks, he didn’t know where Ottawa was. In fact, he didn’t even know Ottawa was a city. “I said, ‘what is Ottawa?’ as soon as I got the news. I heard of the CFL, and knew some teams in it and stuff but I didn’t know the Redblacks so it was all so new to me and I was actually off to Ottawa the next day.”

Signed midway through the 2019 CFL season, Dandridge started his time in Ottawa on the practice roster, and only played the final 4 games of the season. In those four games, in a limited amount of snaps he made 12 tackles for the Redblacks and solidified a spot in training camp for the next year. “When the season ended I met with the GM and the front office,” Dandridge said, “they said they saw good things but before saying anymore they wanted to see me in a camp setting with more competition around and stuff.”

Unfortunately though, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the CFL’s cancelled season in 2020 the Ottawa Redblacks had to wait a bit longer for that look at Brandin Dandridge in a camp setting. Dandridge was out of football for the entirety of the 2020 calendar year, and really didn’t know if he’d see the football field again. During the time away from the game, Dandridge spent time back home in the states but mainly found himself in Canada with his girlfriend that he met in Ottawa and eventually with his son Khari who was born in March of 2021, just months before Brandin was able to play football again with the Redblacks. “Becoming a father was amazing.” he commented on the 2020-2021 calendar years, “growing up I looked up to my dad in many ways. Having a son, I want him to be able to look up to me the same way I looked up to my dad. I hope he can look at me and be like ‘wow, thats my dad.’ At the end of the day I want to leave a legacy for him, and give him something that he can build on to. I love being a dad, and really I cannot describe the feeling I have being around him.” Being in Ottawa while Khari was born, and throughout the off-season leading up to the season in 2021 was great for Brandin to be around his family and was overall very meaningful and beneficial for his life off of the football field, but come the 2021 CFL season, that time in Ottawa proved to be good for his life on the football field as well.

It ended up being a rocky road to get on the field for the Redblacks in 2021, from originally making it onto the practice roster after training camp, cut, then signed back to the practice roster and finally the active roster in September where he’d end up playing the final 8 games of the season. In those 8 games, 5 had turnovers, finishing the season with 4 interceptions and a fumble recovery on top of his 12 defensive tackles. The success he had in Ottawa during the 2021 CFL season, a lot of it, he credits to his preparation leading up to the games he played. He told JZ Media, “coming to Ottawa during the off-season was a blessing. I came around November of 2020 and originally because of the border’s rules my girlfriend and I had to fight for me to even come to Canada from the states. She did a great job and helped me thankfully get in and when I was in Ottawa I could use the facilities at TD Place, workout with some guys and it really helped me develop and learn during that time too.” he continued, “I spent some time with Sherrod (Baltimore) and he taught me a lot about everything. How to be a better professional, how to carry yourself on and off the field and he taught me a lot just watching film and training once and a while together too.”

The time learning during the off-season, and everything he’s done over the span of his football career paid off big time in early February of this year when his agent called him with a dream come true opportunity to workout for the Kansas City Chiefs. Prior to the call from his agent, he already had some ties with the Chiefs. It was his hometown team, he attended a local pro day they had put on in 2019 during his draft year (couldn’t participate due to injury) and his former strength coach at Missouri Western, Greg Carbin is now coaching with the Chiefs but his links to the Chiefs never gave him the idea that they were interested in signing him. He was actually very surprised when he got the call. “I was working at my job, and I got a call from my agent.” he explained, “I don’t talk to my agent that much unless I call him or something is happening so I called him back and he pretty much told me that I have a tryout that Friday with the Chiefs, and I think it was Tuesday at the time.”

“I wasn’t really in perfect shape to do a workout, so I didn’t know how I would do, but my agent pretty much said I couldn’t pass on the opportunity. I ended up getting there on the Thursday, did some training at the place I used to train at all the time that day to get into the 40 yard dash training and getting prepared for the workout and I ended up running a 4.51 with no speed or combine training and they offered me a contract.” he went into detail, “Even as soon as I got there, it just felt like home. Well, it really is home there but seeing my old strength coach, and having been at the facilities already, it just felt like home for me and it all felt so right. It was a dream come true to get that opportunity and I’m all focused on making the team and playing for the Chiefs this year.”

Mandatory training with the Chiefs will begin in April for Dandridge, and until then he will be focused on getting 100% prepared for the opportunity in front of him and will be spending time with his family. During his free time though, when he is not playing football, and not busy doing anything with Khari, he is listening to music, eating or watching movies. Listing some of his favourite artists, movies and foods he says he likes to eat pizza, banana bread, zucchini bread, while in Ottawa he likes Little Italy Pizza and in the states he enjoys hitting up Waffle House. As for music, in no specific order he likes to listen to his top 5 artists Rod Wave, Lil Durk, Lil Baby, G Herbo and Young Boy NBA. Right now his favourite song on repeat is Back Door by Lil Durk and is always watching any Will Smith movies or shows as well as Marvel movies and the Dark Knight Batman movies.

Brandin Dandridge with Ottawa Photo by Scott Grant

When he has more free time to watch all of these movies on repeat, and eat all of the Waffle House he desires, when football is no longer in the picture, Dandridge sees himself sticking around the game of football. Not as a coach, but as a mentor for the next generation of football players. He has the vision of potentially having his own gym in the future where he has kids come and workout, train and get better but also get guidance. He said, “A lot of young athletes need to hear about my story, and I want to tell more kids about the path I took, and to help them with their own paths. Mentorship is huge and I was fortunate enough to have good coaches, and trainers in my corner during my journey. I have a lot to give back and when I have the time to do so I want to definitely start something that helps me do so.”

Boston College’s Canadian linebacker Edwin Tara-Kolenge wants “to show people who I am past football.”

Edwin Tara-Kolenge is a true freshman linebacker from Montreal, Quebec, Canada playing at Boston College. At 6-foot-3, 217 pound, Tara-Kolenge has the frame of an outside linebacker, with room to grow and play anywhere else, on the edge, or in the middle as a middle linebacker. “I’m a real versatile player.” he said to JZ Media’s Jordan Zlomislic, “I can play anywhere and no matter what the coaches want me to do I will get the job done and do everything and more of what’s expected.” 

He began to play football in Montreal, and starred in high school at Dauble Viau where he had enough film to actually get some offers to play division one football. Alongside those University offers though were also offers and opportunities to play high school football across the border to maximize his talents and open more doors for his future in football. Tara-Kolenge took on the opportunity to play at Clearwater Academy International in Florida. In Florida he went on to make 86 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 2 pass break ups and 3 sacks in just 8 games, averaging over 10 tackles a game. His play with the Knights opened the eyes of even more coaches at the collegiate level, and also other coaches at the high school and prep school level. At one point in time it seemed as if every single coach, whether that be in college or high school wanted Edwin Tara-Kolenge on his football team. Only one coach was able to have him though, and that ended up being Jeff Moore, the head coach of Loomis Chaffee in Windsor, Connecticut. After landing with Loomis Chaffee, Tara-Kolenge spent his senior year playing for the school’s football team, leading them to a championship while also working hard in the classroom, graduating early and getting ready to attend Boston College, where he had signed his letter of intent in December.

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Being at Boston College, Tara-Kolenge told Zlomislic, “it feels good. It feels very accomplished. It was tough to get here. I put in a lot of work, and made sacrifices to be here, but it feels good to actually be here and have a season in front of me.”

Every single team he has played on, Edwin Tara-Kolenge dominated on. He has truly been a huge, valuable asset in every locker room he’s stepped into, and it’s expected that he will be a valuable asset at the next level as well with the Boston College Eagles, but his value, and his success will not stop at just football. Off of the football field, Edwin thinks of himself as a good chef, is very good with children, and is extremely intelligent, now taking Engineering at Boston College. He says, “I want people to see me as being more than a football player. Football has always been with me, and I am going to be playing football but I am a human being. I would like to be able to show everyone who I am past football.” 

As mentioned, Tara-Kolenge is in Engineering at Boston College. Engineering has been something of interest for him since he was young. He said, “when I was younger, my dad was always building stuff and fixing stuff in the house. Seeing him do stuff, and do things that make a difference, I wanted to help him and got interested in building things and learning about how things are made. It was hard at first to get used to the school here, but I’m starting to get used to it more, and am getting more comfortable with it all.”

Edwin Wilson Tara Kolenge Reveals College Commitment – Sports Illustrated Article

One thing that he is not that used to yet, even though he is now in his third year away from home, is being removed from Tim Hortons and Coffee Crisp chocolate bars in Canada as well as his mom’s home cooked meals. He told Zlomislic, “I miss Coffee Crisp and Tim Hortons that we don’t have here. I used to get the “Timatin” at Tim Hortons all the time and the iced coffees. We have Dunkin Donuts here but it’s not as good. I’m also missing all of my mom’s cooking. That’s probably the biggest thing I miss because its my family.”

Being without his mom’s cooking, at Boston College, Edwin looks to cook a little bit himself. His best dish, “spaghetti,” he said. 

Off of the football field, during his workouts, and even during his studying periods, Edwin listens to a lot of music. Right now his top 5 artists in his playlist, in no specific order, are Lil Baby, Gunna, Rod Wave, Roddy Rich and Lil Durk. His favorite song, a song he can put on repeat is “idk that bi*ch” by Gunna. Some of his favorite hobbies include playing video games (sports video games like Madden, NHL, Fifa), watching TV and hanging out with friends, but right now in his life he doesn’t have a lot of free time to explore those hobbies. As a student athlete at Boston College, Tara-Kolenge is extremely busy working on his craft for football and keeping up with his schooling. It is busy now, but it will all be worth it once he gets his opportunity. With the opportunity he has in front of him, he has the goals set to be a true freshman All-ACC, and overall be the best player of his ability, doing everything he can do as an individual to help the Eagles win a national championship. 

For Eagles fans, they can expect a player that works his butt off non stop with Edwin Tara-Kolenge. There is no stopping for Edwin, and he will show exactly that with his play on the field which can look a lot like a mixture between former Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly as well as versatile linebackers like Micah Parsons and Isaiah Simmons. Edwin Tara-Kolenge is an athlete. He is a defensive playmaker, and as a 4 star signee for the Boston College Eagles he will indeed make a big splash with his new team as a linebacker that can not only rush the passer, and stop the run but also go into coverage. 

With Canadians slowly taking over the NFL with guys like Chase Claypool, Chuba Hubbard, Jevon Holland, Joshua Palmer, Benjamin St Juste, John Metchie and Jesse Luketa set to play in the league and make big impacts next season, don’t be surprised if Edwin Tara-Kolenge is a name that circles the NFL in the next couple of years. 

Recapping the Ottawa Redblacks’ free agency acquisitions; did they fill every spot on the roster?

This off-season, the CFL’s Ottawa Redblacks’ front office has been very busy and focused on building the roster that can bring their franchise back to the promise land. After winning just three games and missing the playoffs in back to back seasons, it was more than necessary to make some changes. First it was general manager Shawn Burke coming in with the new look front office, then it was the new players coming in, creating a whole new identity for the Ottawa Redblacks’ 2022 CFL season.

One of the first moves, and what some would say was the biggest move made by the Redblacks was signing veteran quarterback Jeremiah Masoli. It wasn’t a move that had to be made. The Redblacks could have easily went with Caleb Evans for the 2022 season, but they didn’t. Masoli, a 33 year old veteran quarterback in the CFL had thrown for 2,445 yards and 10 touchdowns in 9 regular season games in 2021 with the Hamilton Tiger Cats. A receiver that hauled in a number of his passes in 2021 was Jaelon Acklin who was also signed by the Redblacks.

Acklin, who caught 108 passes for 1,386 yards and seven scores over the last two seasons was just one of 9 major additions on the offensive side of the ball. Receivers Darvin Adams, B.J Cunningham and Shaquille Johnson look to be top targets for Jeremiah Masoli while running back William Powell will help move the ball down field on the ground and offensive linemen Jacob Ruby, Darius Ciraco, Hunter Steward and Ucambre Williams will give support for Masoli in pass block and make holes for Powell to run through. The Redblacks also have receivers R.J Harris, Ryan Davis and Nate Behar coming back from 2021 as well as offensive linemen Dino Boyd, Jakub Szott and Ketel Asse so with a mix of players coming back, and players coming in to Ottawa, the team looks ready to take on all challenges on the offensive side of the ball. It’s always hard to make any predictions without seeing the team on the football field, but after watching the Redblacks in 2021, and seeing who they’ve brought in thus far this off-season, it may be a good idea to keep eyes on sophomore receiver Ryan Davis as he approaches his breakout season. The run game, led by William Powell will also be something to watch as it has been something missing in the nation’s capital for a couple of seasons now, but with veteran receivers Darvin Adams, B.J Cunningham, R.J Harris, Nate Behar and Shaquille Johnson around Davis in his second season in the CFL, coming off of a rookie of the year and an offensive player of the year performance in 2021, the career receptions record holder at Auburn is in for a breakout year in Ottawa.

On the defensive side of the football, the Redblacks were already pretty solid in 2021. Defensive coordinator Mike Benevides did a tremendous job leading the Redblacks defence, and now with Shawn Burke bringing in a couple of new faces to the defensive side of the ball, it’s obvious that the defence will only look better. Expect the Redblacks secondary to look like the best in the CFL. With Sherrod Baltimore, Randall Evans, Abdul Kanneh, Antoine Pruneau, Justin Howell, Jordan Beaulieu, Ranthony Texada and Treshaun Abrahams Webster coming back from 2021, the Redblacks could already field a starting unit. Add in new faces Trumaine Washington, Money Hunter, Patrick Levels and Ty Cranston on top of that list, it gets even better. As for the front seven, right now the Redblacks have Avery Williams, Cleyon Laing, and Davon Coleman coming back as starters in 2021 and then Kwaku Boateng and Lorenzo Mauldin IV have been signed to start on the defensive line as well. You can also expect Shaheed Salmon and Adam Auclair to step up from their linebacker positions in 2021 if Micah Awe doesn’t land in the NFL. One player to watch on the defensive side of the ball would be Sherrod Baltimore. Baltimore has been a huge part of the Redblacks defence since the 2017 season when he won the team’s rookie of the year award. The last couple of seasons he hasn’t had the right opportunities to play to his full potential. Whether it was injuries or limited playing time, there has always seemed to be a barrier in front of him. In 2022 there isn’t anything in his way. With Mike Benevides in charge of the defence, and star defensive backs Abdul Kanneh, Trumaine Washington, Money Hunter and Randall Evans around him, he is set to have a big year. Just take a look at his 2018 season when Jonathan Rose and Rico Murray were playing alongside him. He had 2 regular season interceptions and 2 post season interceptions, including one in the Grey Cup against Bo Levi Mitchell. Imagining what’s possible in 2022, with him being more developed as a football player and with an even better group around him potentially, should have R-Nation excited for what’s to come.

Sherrod Baltimore (27) of the Ottawa RedBlacks before the CFL game between the Ottawa RedBlacks and the Toronto Argonauts at BMO Field in Toronto, ON, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo: Johany Jutras / CFL)

Sure, the Redblacks have signed a boat load of players, and some of them are big names, but don’t expect them to run the show in 2022. What is seen on paper is not always what is seen on the field. The Redblacks kickoff their 2022 CFL season on May 27th as they host the Toronto Argonauts for their first pre-season matchup.

J.P Cimankinda, Khadeem Pierre among Ottawa football players invited to CFL combines

Over the years we have seen a large growth of football talent in the nation’s capital. There has simply been a lot more football players make it out of Ottawa recently, than ever before. A couple of names coming out of Ottawa and making it into the pros in football this year that can back up that fact would include Jesse Luketa, Luiji Vilain, Katley Joseph, Liam Dobson, Chris Fournier and Patrice Rene who are all ready to attack the NFL if the opportunity comes up. Also set to become professional athletes, from Ottawa originally, or guys that played in the city for University would be J.P Cimankinda, Khadeem Pierre, Tristin Park, Jonathan Eduoard, Keaton Bruggeling, Sandor Mod, Frednick Eveillard, Chris Ciguineau, Bryan Latouche, Michael Pezzuto and Zachary Pelehos who have all been invited to CFL combines this year.

Of those on the list, the biggest may just be J.P Cimankinda. Cimankinda is an Ottawa raised, 6-foot-1, 225 pound running back coming out of the University of Ottawa. He is coming off of a good season in 2021 where he had 426 yards on 76 carries in a limited number of snaps along with 221 additional yards in two playoff games. As a proven power back with speed at the collegiate level, Cimankinda has a lot of potential moving into the pros, and with eligibility remaining to play more at the University of Ottawa, there’s a chance he stays one more year and then makes his impact in the CFL.

Then there is Khadeem Pierre, a 6-foot-1, 190 pound defensive back originally from Ottawa and now a former Concordia Stinger. In 2021 he made 30 total tackles and had one interception with the Stingers and is ready to make his mark in the CFL in 2022 with whatever team wants to show interest in him.

The CFL combine season will kickoff on March 10th and will conclude at the end of March before the May 3rd CFL Draft filled with talent.

Redblacks add on to their free agency frenzy, sign Byron Marshall and Jhaustin Thomas

This off-season the CFL’s Ottawa Redblacks have been by far the busiest team in the CFL. It has seemed as if every single day they have made a move to improve for the 2022 season. On Monday, the team made two more moves in addition to their busy off-season. They signed American wide receiver Byron Marshall and American defensive lineman Jhaustin Thomas.

Byron Marshall, a product of the University of Oregon is a dual threat, running back, receiver and kick returner. At 5-foot-9, 215 pounds he was the first player in PAC-12 history to record a season with 1,000 yards rushing and then 1,000 yards receiving. Over his time spent at Oregon as a running back, and then a receiver he had over 3,600 all-purpose yards and scored 27 touchdowns on 423 touches. He then played in 13 NFL games where he did similar things, playing a role as a backup running back and receiver as well as kick returner of the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles. In those 13 games he gained 420 yards on 56 touches. With DeVonte Dedmon in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins, it is expected that Marshall comes into Ottawa to battle for the return job and a dual threat offensive weapon alongside Terry Williams. Marshall likely comes in as a connection from Shawn Burke, as he was signed by the Hamilton Tiger Cats last off-season, and is actually the brother of former Tiger Cats running back Cameron Marshall.

Jhaustin Thomas also has Hamilton connections, having spent time on the Tiger cats practice squad in 2021 after playing the 2019 CFL season with the Toronto Argonauts. With Toronto, the 6-foot-6, 275 pound defensive lineman made 14 tackles and a sack. The 28 year old comes to Ottawa behind both Cleyon Laing and Davon Coleman at defensive tackle but might find himself a spot on the roster for 2022 if he has a good training camp.

The two signings on Monday aren’t major by any means, but they could be good in the long run. Fans should be excited to see what Byron Marshall has in store for the Redblacks. If he is anything near the kind of player he was at Oregon, it may be fun to watch him play with the bigger field at TD Place.

Ottawa Redblacks add B.J Cunningham and Trumaine Washington, re-sign Pruneau; a look at 2022’s 1 on 1 battles

This off-season, the Ottawa Redblacks have improved heavily. Newly hired general manager Shawn Burke has made a great first impression in the nation’s capital, and has done so by not only signing a new franchise quarterback, but an entire team around him as well. Some of the areas where he has brought in a lot of talent thus far this off-season have come at both wide receiver and defensive back.

Giving Jeremiah Masoli some weapons, Burke has re-signed and will be bringing back 2021 Redblacks receivers R.J Harris, Ryan Davis, Nate Behar and Jordan Smallwood but has also added Darvin Adams, Jaelon Acklin, Shaquille Johnson, B.J Cunningham and Llevi Noel from free agency. The Redblacks top 7 receivers; Darvin Adams, Ryan Davis, Jaelon Acklin, R.J Harris, B.J Cunningham, Nate Behar and Shaquille Johnson all combined for 305 catches, 3,815 yards and 13 touchdowns in their 2021 seasons. Bringing all of that together into one room can be a great move by the Ottawa Redblacks. It gives a solidified number one receiver in Darvin Adams, and a big competition between the rest to figure out who plays which role on the offence. Ryan Davis is a true NFL talent and the Ottawa Redblacks are lucky to have him back in 2022. He may just be the number two receiver, and develop into being a primary target for Masoli while Jaelon Acklin, B.J Cunningham and R.J Harris all play major roles in the receiving core as well as Canadians Shaquille Johnson and Nate Behar.

The great group of receivers for the Ottawa Redblacks coming in for the 2022 CFL season will also be going head to head with some extremely talented defensive backs at practice. Among the positions improved this off-season, Shawn Burke and the Redblacks front office went out and signed a good group of help in the defensive backfield. Coming back from 2021 is Sherrod Baltimore, Abdul Kanneh, Randall Evans, Justin Howell, Antoine Pruneau, Jordan Beaulieu, Ranthony Texada and Treshaun Abrahams Webster and coming in for the 2022 CFL season will be newly acquired defensive back Trumaine Washington who led the CFL in interceptions in 2021 with the Edmonton Elks, Money Hunter and Patrick Levels.

These additions at receiver and defensive back not only make up of some great one on one battles in Ottawa but also some great training camp battles to make the team. If you know anything about the CFL, you would know that no job is guaranteed. With all of these veteran signings, and the mix of young talent in Ottawa, it can be interesting to see what the Ottawa Redblacks final roster looks like in 2022. If that competitive mindset and environment stays throughout the season, it should bring the best out of each and every player on the team, making the Redblacks a true contender for the Grey Cup in Saskatchewan.

Analyzing a busy week in the nation’s capital; which of the Ottawa Redblacks’ moves will have the biggest impact?

The talk around the CFL as of lately has been surrounding the Ottawa Redblacks. Since general manager Shawn Burke was hired in December its as if everyone wants to come play in the nation’s capital. They have been signing players left, right and centre for the past week now, clearly showing improvements from the 2021 CFL season, but which of the moves made will leave the biggest impact on the Redblacks future?

When asked this question, many would run to Jeremiah Masoli and say that he will 100% be the reason for the turnaround of this Ottawa Redblacks team, but it is important to remember that a good quarterback is nothing without good help. Burke and the Redblacks front office have been checking off all of the boxes to ensure that Masoli has help around him to have a good run in Ottawa. With that being said, the biggest moves made by the Redblacks front office thus far have to come up front with the four offensive linemen signed this off-season. Bringing in Ucambre Williams, Jacob Ruby, Hunter Steward and Darius Ciraco will make a huge difference on the Ottawa Redblacks offence. Last season the Redblacks gave up the most sacks in the CFL. Bringing in a new quarterback, and a new but old running back in William Powell, Burke wanted to make sure that he gets the best player out of both of them, and he should get their best with a solid offensive line on their way to Ottawa for 2022. Alongside their revamped line, the offensive side of the ball has also seen some major changes at wide receiver. In 2021 the Redblacks top pass catchers were Ryan Davis, R.J Harris, Kenny Stafford and Nate Behar. Over the last couple of days they’ve added Darvin Adams, Jaelon Acklin and Shaq Johnson to that list as well. Masoli will have Darvin Adams, Jaelon Acklin, Ryan Davis, R.J Harris, Shaq Johnson and Nate Behar as his top receivers. This off-season is beginning to look a lot like the one in 2015 when Ottawa brought in playmakers Greg Ellingson, Ernest Jackson, Chris Williams and Brad Sinopoli. In 2015 and 2016 each of those four receivers surpassed the 1,000 yard marker. If two or three of the Redblacks’ pass catchers are able to reach those totals in 2022 it should be a special year in the nation’s capital.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Ottawa Redblacks have improved as well. In 2021 the defence was mainly what kept Ottawa in games during the season. Mike Benevides had a solid group formed and the defence had a special bond over the span of the year. The players clicked, and kept fighting no matter what the circumstances were, and a lot of the time those circumstances weren’t that great. As we look into the future for the 2022 CFL season, it looks like the Redblacks defence, and Benevides’ group will be even better than it was in 2021, and a lot better. They’ve signed pass rushers Lorenzo Mauldin and Kwaku Boateng, linebacker Patrick Levels and defensive backs Money Hunter, Alden Darby and Ty Cranston to the team. If you were to point out one or two of these signings and name them the biggest it would have to be both Boateng and Hunter. Boateng because he has the ability to be a true ratio breaking pass rusher and Hunter simply because they needed a replacement for Brandin Dandridge who is now NFL bound and he is set to be a starting defensive back. Both Boateng and Hunter are also just 26 years old and have good, solid years of CFL football behind them making them perfect, young veteran players to build around for the present day as well as the future potentially.

Just a small recap from the moves made thus far, the CFL’s Ottawa Redblacks have signed quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, running backs William Powell and Jackson Bennett, receivers Darvin Adams, Jaelon Acklin, Shaquille Johnson, and Llevi Noel, offensive linemen Darius Ciraco, Ucambre Williams, Hunter Steward, (and Jacob Ruby), defensive linemen Lorenzo Mauldin and Kwaku Boateng, linebacker Patrick Levels and defensive backs Alden Darby, Money Hunter and Ty Cranston. It has clearly been a very productive off-season for the Redblacks and with the Draft right around the corner it can get even better. Ottawa is serious about winning a Grey Cup in 2022, and don’t be surprised if it does indeed happen with all of the help they’ve collected around the CFL already.

“We spoke this into existence.” Ottawa’s Very Own Jesse Luketa dominates at Reese’s Senior Bowl

Every year, over 100 of the top NFL Draft prospects gather in Mobile, Alabama for the annual Reese’s Senior Bowl. The game, and the entire week is an opportunity for NFL Draft prospects to showcase their talents one last time before the Draft, and being in it’s 72nd year in 2022 it is proven to be a turning point in many NFL players careers. Over the years, the Senior Bowl has hosted a lot of big name NFL stars. Players like Brett Farve, Reggie Wayne, Fred Taylor, Terrell Owens, Michael Strahan, Larry Allen, Bo Jackson and Christian Okoye have played in the game in the past while recently the game has seen Josh Allen, Justin Herbert, Cooper Kupp, Deebo Samuel and more in the game as well. This year’s Senior Bowl headlined quarterbacks Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett alongside some other top tier prospects like Trevor Penning, Jermaine Johnson and Roger McCreary but there were also a number of underrated players at the game there improving their draft stock. 

The 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl; photo by JZ Media’s Jordan Zlomislic

One player that went down to Mobile this year for the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl and instantly raised his draft stock was Ottawa’s Very Own Penn State linebacker and edge rusher Jesse Luketa. As a senior with the Nittany Lions Luketa made 61 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, shared a sack and had a pick six, adding to his phenomenal totals over his 38 career games at Happy Valley. When he had gotten to Mobile on Monday last week, his time at Penn State gave him a late round grade for the NFL Draft. Now, a few days out from the Senior Bowl game, he’s being looked at as an early draft pick all thanks to an exceptional week in Mobile. 

It seemed as if Luketa was putting on a clinic each and every single day that he was in Mobile. He was making plays left, right and center during the week in practice against some of the best offensive linemen in the 2022 NFL Draft including 6-foot-8, 387 pound tackle Daniel Faalele from Minnesota who he had run over at 6-foot-3, 261 pounds. Luketa showed his full potential throughout the week, displaying to scouts, coaches, general managers and owners across the NFL how physical, and technical he can be as a pass rusher as well as how quick he is, being able to move easily into coverage if need be and stop the run efficiently too. Talking about the week he had in Mobile, Luketa had told me (Jordan Zlomislic from JZ Media), “It was a great opportunity for me to display my abilities at a higher, national level with scouts, GMs, owners all in attendance. It ultimately allowed me to raise my stock. Guys come to Mobile, and the mantra here is ‘The Draft Starts in Mobile’ so me personally I see it as an opportunity I felt I dominated from the day I arrived to today (on gameday Saturday) so I feel comfortable, and I feel excited.”

After seeing his performance all week on social media, and hearing his name all over the NFL world, I was fortunate enough to be able to travel down to Mobile, Alabama myself alongside Jean Guillaume who coached Luketa and has been a mentor of Luketa’s since high school. In Mobile, on the Friday night prior to the game on Saturday at dinner with Ottawa linebacker Kervens Bonhomme of South Alabama, myself and Coach Jean Guillaume, Jesse was adamant that he’d get a sack in the game. He had a stellar performance all week at practice, he thought it would be a perfect way to finish the week and raise his draft stock. Well, the very next day he got his sack. In fact, he got two. Jesse Luketa was one of many top performers of the Senior Bowl, making two sacks (one strip sack) as well as a tackle for loss on Alabama running back Brian Robinson. After the game, interviewing him about the two sacks he told me, “Once I got the first one I just kept telling myself to get two more. I got the second one and then from there I was working towards getting the third one. It didn’t happen but for me honestly I capped off a strong week with an even stronger performance I felt in the game so I’m extremely proud.”

Luketa with Guillaume
One of two sacks at the Senior Bowl
Friday night’s dinner with Luketa, Bonhomme, Zlomislic and Guillaume
Jesse Luketa’s Senior Bowl performance, video done by JZ Media’s Jordan Zlomislic

For many, this week and the game from Luketa was a surprise. Sure, he’s made it this far, having the opportunity to play in the Senior Bowl and receive an invite to the NFL Combine in March so there is some buzz around his name, but he exceeded a lot of people’s expectations from him. However for Luketa himself and those that have followed his football journey from the beginning, him having success at this stage is not a surprise at all. Since Jesse Luketa first stepped foot on a football field in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada he has dominated. One of Luketa’s mentors, Coach Jean Guillaume, the 2020 Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year, who coached him at St. Patrick’s High School in Ottawa and helped him through the process to go play at Mercyhurst Prep School in Erie, Pennsylvania was able to touch on exactly that, as well as the kind of person Luketa has been since he’s known him. “Jesse’s never changed.” Guillaume said, “He used to be a safety and I was coaching dbs, and he’d come to training I put on at the parks and I remember that was a kid that, you tell him to do one and he would do two, he would always give the extra. He would always push himself and he’s never changed. There’s some players out there that you can say something like, ‘he wasn’t that serious about anything when he was young until he played at this level.’ but Jesse is not that. He never changed. He’s always been a leader, and he’s always pushed himself to the last second of every thing he does. The same guy we are watching now is the same guy that was playing safety at 15 years old. He has put in the work and there shouldn’t be a surprise that he is doing what he is doing.”

Jesse Luketa and Neville Gallimore of Ottawa

Luketa is not the only one to be making this kind of impact at the next level from Ottawa. Just two years ago one of his best friends from Ottawa, Neville Gallimore went through the exact same process as him, playing in the Senior Bowl and getting drafted by the Dallas Cowboys. Gallimore has since made 41 tackles, 7 tackles for loss and 3 sacks with the Cowboys in his first 19 games of his NFL career and is going on to be one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL in the next couple of seasons. Gallimore and Luketa went to school together growing up and played alongside each other during their early football days in Ottawa. To be in Mobile just two years after Gallimore, Luketa said, “It’s just going back to us sitting in a room before we even had the opportunity to even be in the situation we’re in playing in the senior bowl. We spoke it into existence,” he continued, “I’m a firm believer of manifestation. We spoke about us being in this exact situation and for me to be here, although it may be surreal sometimes, it’s expected and I’m extremely grateful to be in this position I’m in right now and I’m really looking forward to seeing what Ottawa gas to produce moving forward because the talent is there, it’s more so just having that scope transferred over to all of the kids that have the dream to do the same thing we have.”

Beginning to show the younger generation of athletes the possibility of being at the same level as he and Gallimore, Jesse Luketa has always used his platform to put on for the city of Ottawa. His tags on social media have been “OttawasVeryOwn” for the longest time and he’s proud to be from the nation’s capital. Going into the NFL, his platform will only grow, and there will only be more opportunities to give back to the city he is from. When asked about that ability he was telling me, “It means everything.” and, “Those who know me know that I pride myself as a son of a village and I’m a product of my environment. Growing up in south Ottawa, Ontario, Canada it’s a low income area so for all of the kids that are thinking their dreams are too far attainable, I’m basically trying to change that, that stigma and show them, me achieving my dreams, show them that no dream is too far attainable and that they can do the same thing as me if they set their mind to it.”

Jesse Luketa at the Senior Bowl; photo by JZ Media’s Jordan Zlomislic

These words from Luketa, demonstrating leadership for not only those around him but the entire city of Ottawa is a true testament to the kind of player and person he is. On the football field he has proven to be a top tier athlete. He is able to play almost anywhere you want him to play. Off the field he is the same, he is exactly the kind of person you want in your locker room. He is one that has fought through a lot of adversity throughout his own life and football career so he is grateful and humble to be where he is today and where he is headed. Luketa is a person that will never forget where he came from. It is clear that he loves being from Ottawa, and he will always put on for the city, but he is also someone that will always help and show love and appreciation for those around him. When talking about Luketa more in detail, Coach Guillaume commented, “Jesse is all about the community, and giving back. When you see his handle online it’s ‘Ottawa’s Very Own’ and he’s had that since the beginning. He didn’t just make that yesterday. He’s had it forever and he has always wanted to represent the city of Ottawa. When I see Jesse give back and put that spotlight on the city I get drunk of joy because all of these speeches I give to kids I coach about giving back, he does exactly that and nobody has ever needed to tell him to. He does it all on his own. He wants to do it and at the end of the day how can you not like this guy. He is setting a perfect example for the future of Ottawa and him doing good can only be good for the city of Ottawa. Jesse’s success is Ottawa’s success and the city should be cheering for him and supporting him with everything he does.”

On and off of the football field, Ottawa’s Very Own Jesse Luketa should be one to watch as he enters the NFL. He will be a star on film and will show everyone exactly the kind of football player he is, and what he can do at the top but it is important to take notice of the kind of person he is off of the football player as well. As one that had seen his Senior Bowl experience up close and personal, and one that has followed his football journey for a long time now, I know that Jesse Luketa is the exact kind of player and person that anyone would want to be a part of their NFL team. He is truly the full package as a player, a teammate, a leader, a community builder, and even a brand. On the football field, Luketa says that whoever drafts him is getting a player that is, “ready to work,” and “ready immediately and a guy that will be an overall leader and a cultural driver.” He told me, “I’m excited. This week (at the Senior Bowl) was good. I’m going to enjoy this, but it’s back to work and time to work on the next objective which is the combine.”

Luketa will be participating in the 2022 NFL Combine in Indianapolis in March, and depending how he tests there, his draft stock may only keep going up. 

Jesse Luketa’s sack & sack dance at the Senior Bowl; photos by JZ Media’s Jordan Zlomislic

Ottawa Redblacks make an early free agency splash; CFLFA officially open on Tuesday

There has been a large number of transactions coming out of the CFL over the last couple of days. Sure, the moves have come across the entire league, and all 9 teams have been active this off-season but the majority of news has come out of the nation’s capital with the Ottawa Redblacks.

Coming off of the second straight 3-win season in 2021, and another year without a playoff berth, Mark Goudie and the Ottawa Redblacks’ ownership with OSEG went out to hire Shawn Burke as the Redblacks’ new general manager. Since taking over as the organization’s second general manager in their history, Burke has changed the look of the Ottawa Redblacks and he’s done so very quickly. Even before free agency opens officially on Tuesday February 8th at 12:00 PM EDT, Burke has made a huge splash in free agency.

Thus far as the Redblacks general manager he has re-signed Abdul Kanneh, Randall Evans, Davon Coleman and Nate Behar, but has also brought in quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, running backs William Powell and Jackson Bennett, receivers Jaelon Acklin and Llevi Noel, offensive lineman Jacob Ruby, Ucambre Williams and Darius Ciraco, defensive linemen Kwaku Boateng and Lorenzo Mauldin and defensive back Ty Cranston. Headlining that list is of course Jeremiah Masoli who comes in as what looks to be the Redblacks starting quarterback for the next two CFL seasons. He will be ahead of 23 year old Caleb Evans and 25 year old Devlin Hodges. William Powell and Jaelon Acklin also make a mark as big moves for the Redblacks early on this off-season. Powell coming back to Ottawa where he began his CFL career coming out of the NFL, playing in 25 games with the Redblacks running for 2,835 yards in 2015, 2017 and 2018 and 13 touchdowns. The last two seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders he had 1,826 yards and 15 scores on the ground as well as 595 receiving yards. Powell and Bennett at running back all add towards De’Lance Turner, Justin Davis and Brendan Gillanders who are already under contract for the 2022 CFL season. Acklin adds to Nate Behar and Ryan Davis who combined for 1,028 yards in 2021. With 1,386 yards and 7 scores over the last two seasons in Hamilton, Acklin is a great pass catcher for the Ottawa Redblacks, however he may not be considered a number one receiver just yet. The Redblacks may have some work still to do when it comes to bringing in weapons for Masoli. Llevi Noel was signed, however he has mainly found himself on special teams during his CFL career with the Argonauts, racking up 864 yards in 74 career games and 79 special teams tackles, so he may be looked at as more of a special teamer than a receiver for Ottawa’s Bob Dyce.

On the offensive line, the Redblacks have gotten better, bringing in Ruby, Williams and Ciraco, but Nolan MacMillan and Mark Korte are set to hit the market on Tuesday, so there looks to be some question as to who will fill the other two open spots on the offensive line. Dino Boyd could be one of the players filling a spot on the line, having played with Ottawa in 2021 and set to come back but there are also a large number of players still available for Ottawa to sign as well.

Some players that are not available would now be Kwaku Boateng, Lorenzo Mauldin and Ty Cranston on the defensive side of the ball. The Ottawa Redblacks defence wasn’t bad in 2021. Mike Benevides did a great job coaching the defence and called a great system throughout the 2021 CFL season, keeping the Redblacks in the games defensively when they weren’t able to do so offensively. By the looks of it, they want to go from good to great on defence for the 2022 CFL season. Boateng is looked at to be one of the best pass rushers in the CFL, and as a Canadian, pairing up with Cleyon Laing on the defensive line he could easily become a ratio breaker for the Redblacks. Mauldin is a former NFL Draft pick and has shown glimpses of what he’s capable of in the CFL while Ty Cranston comes back to Ottawa where he played with the Gee Gees coming off of a 29 tackle, one interception season with the Alouettes in 2021. The Ottawa Redblacks just lost defensive back Brandin Dandridge to the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, so even though Cranston is signed, the defensive side of the ball should continue to improve in Ottawa, especially with other key players Stefan Charles, Micah Awe, Don Unamba and Antoine Pruneau yet to be re-signed.

The moves made by Burke and the front office so far have been fantastic. They have changed the narrative in the city of Ottawa and for the Ottawa Redblacks but with free agency officially opening on Tuesday at noon, it’s clear that there is still more work to be done. Burke and his squad should be focused on wide receiver and offensive line on offence and linebacker and defensive back on defence. At receiver there are a number of players still available for Ottawa to sign. Greg Ellingson, Brandon Banks, Ricky Collins Jr, Markeith Ambles, Darvin Adams and Jordan Williams Lambert just to name a few. On defence, Jonathan Rose may just be a perfect fit for the Ottawa Redblacks defence, especially with Dandridge off to the NFL. Rose already lives in Ottawa, and has spent time with the Redblacks previously in his career as one of the league’s top defensive players. It should be a no brainer to bring him in for 2022.

Before they sign anyone else though, they should re-sign their remaining star free agents. R.J Harris and Micah Awe should be the easiest re-signs for the Redblacks. Don Unamba, Avery Ellis, Mark Korte, Nolan MacMillan and Antoine Pruneau would be great re-signs as well but there isn’t a lot of promise regarding that news yet.

The main goal going into 2022 for the Ottawa Redblacks is to win a Grey Cup. So far it looks as if they are on track to do exactly that, but they need to ensure that they stay on that track.