REGINA — The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed American receiver Javian (J.J.) Hester and American defensive back Steven Weston Jr., the team announced on Monday.
Hester averaged an impressive 19.1 yards per reception over his collegiate career with Missouri (2020-21), Oklahoma (2022-24) and Kentucky (2025). In his final collegiate season, he recorded 117 yards and four touchdowns on just eight receptions for the Wildcats — averaging one touchdown for every two catches. The year prior, playing in his home state of Oklahoma, Hester hauled in 14 receptions for 315 yards, averaging 22.5 yards per catch.
His 90-yard touchdown reception in 2024 tied for the second-longest catch in the tradition-rich Sooners’ program history. Overall, Hester appeared in 46 collegiate games, recording 35 receptions for 670 yards and seven touchdowns.
Weston Jr. spent four collegiate seasons at Ouachita Baptist (2022-25). As a senior in 2025, he posted team-leading totals of three interceptions and eight pass deflections in 11 games, earning First-Team All-Great American Conference honours at cornerback. He also received Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-Region Second Team recognition.
The Arkansas-born Weston emerged as one of the GAC’s premier defensive backs in 2023, tallying one interception and 12 pass deflections, before adding two interceptions and 10 deflections in 2024. Over his collegiate career, Weston Jr. totalled 141 defensive tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack, six interceptions, 36 pass deflections and two forced fumbles.
In addition, the club has moved National defensive lineman Lake Korte-Moore to one-game injured and released American offensive lineman Darius Washington.
