The Saskatchewan Roughriders have gone to the University of Saskatchewan for the second straight year with their first pick in the CFL draft.
On Tuesday night, the Riders took defensive back Nelson Lokombo with the second overall pick in the 2021 CFL draft. Lokombo is a player that the team feels could play any position in the secondary.
The Abbotsford, BC native is 5 foot 11 and weighs 190 pounds. He received the Presidents’ Trophy in 2019 as the top defensive player in U Sports football. During that season he made 39 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks, five interceptions, four pass breakups, and one forced fumble. He was also named Canada West’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player, a Canada West All-Star and a U SPORTS First-Team All-Canadian. He was the Huskies rookie of the year in 2017 and was named the Huskies athlete of the week four times in his career.
Lokombo was the first of six picks for the Riders, but he admits he was surprised to get the phone call.
“I know my meeting with them prior to the draft went well, but I just wasn’t sure if they were going to pick me.” Lokombo said. “I’m glad they did though and I’m ready to get going. I had a chance to talk to the coaching staff and they already know how they want to use me so I’m very excited.”
The Riders looked to the Huskies last year with their first-round pick as they took offensive lineman Mattland Riley from Melfort. Other Riders drafted from the University of Saskatchewan include Ben Heenan, Gene Makowsky and Dan Farthing.
With their second-round pick, 17th overall, the Riders took WR Terrell Jana from Virginia.
Jana is a 6-foot, 190-pounder who was mocked to go #1 by several analysts. He joins a receiving corps that includes 2019 1st-rounder Justin McInnis and 2019 2nd-rounder Brayden Lenius.
In the 3rd round the Riders chose TE Bruno Labelle from Cincinnati. 6-foot-4, 250 pounds. The Montreal native was 16th on the final CFL Scouting Bureau list.
The 4th round, 35th overall, the Riders picked DL Alain Cimankinda from Guelph. He’s the Riders third pick from the University of Guelph in the past two drafts–all in the 4th round. Cimankinda is 6-foot-1, 245 pounds.
The 5th round saw GM Jeremy O’Day select OL Logan Bandy from Calgary. Bandy was 18th in the final CFL Scouting Bureau list.
With their final pick, in the 6th round, the Riders chose DB Matt Watson from Mount Allison. Watson had three interceptions for the Mounties in the 2019 season.
