Photo courtesy: Alabama State Athletics
The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed five players from their 2026 CFL Draft class, including receiver Dylan Djete, offensive lineman Darius Bell, linebacker Osasere Odemwingie, offensive lineman Jez Janvier, and receiver Shemar McBean.
Djete caught 28 passes for 422 yards and four touchdown at Alabama State in 2025, his only season with the team. The six-foot, 185-pound native of Lévis, Que. previously attended Wofford College, where he made 56 receptions for 772 yards and four touchdowns over 31 games. He was Saskatchewan’s second-round pick.
Bell, the team’s third-round pick, was a four-year collegiate starter over stints at the University of Maine and East Carolina University, starting 35 games at tackle, guard, and centre. The six-foot-three, 306-pound native of Hamilton, Ont. told 3DownNation in March that he considers centre his best position.
Odemwingie played 31 games at the University of Calgary, making 253 total tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and three sacks. The six-foot, 220-pound defender was Saskatchewan’s fourth-round pick.
Janvier finished his collegiate career at Southern Mississippi, where he played six games in a depth role. The six-foot-five, 314-pound native of Montreal previously played at Eastern Michigan, where he started five games at guard in 2024 without allowing a sack. He also has experience along the defensive line.
McBean was a two-time Canada West all-star at the University of British Columbia, where he made 158 catches for 2,477 yards and 13 touchdowns over 41 games. The Calgary native was a seventh-round pick in the 2026 CFL Draft.
Malcolm Bell, Saskatchewan’s first-round pick out of Michigan State, has not signed as he’s set to attend rookie mini-camp with the Cleveland Browns. Albert Reese IV, the team’s sixth-round pick out of Mississippi State, is under contract with the Carolina Panthers.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders recently selected Michigan State defensive back Malcolm Bell with their first-round pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, adding a key piece to pair with Tevaughn Campbell. The team’s other major offseason additions include defensive lineman James Vaughters and returner James Letcher Jr.
All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. Saskatchewan will play its first preseason game against the Calgary Stampeders on Monday, May 18 and its first regular-season game against the B.C. Lions on Saturday, June 13.
In 2025, Saskatchewan finished first in the West Division standings with a 12-6 record. The team went on to defeat the Montreal Alouettes in the 112th Grey Cup in Winnipeg, marking the club’s first championship in 12 years.
