Today’s positional preview inside of the Saskatchewan Roughriders roster is the team’s linebackers.
A bright spot on a disappointing season as the Roughriders became only the second team in Canadian Football League (CFL) history with a pair of 100+ tacklers in a single season. Darnell Sankey led the league with 120 while Larry Dean had 101.
Sankey has since moved on to the XFL’s Arlington Renegades.
Micah Teitz is expected back in a starting role after missing the 2022 season.
Derrick Moncrief returns after being named a Western All-Star last year.
Here is a look at the linebackers on the Saskatchewan Roughriders roster.
Linebackers
Larry Dean
In his first season on the field as a member of the Roughriders, Dean responded by finishing third overall in the CFL in tackles. He added four tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and three pass knockdowns. His 122 defensive plays were the second highest total in the league. This all comes a year after the 34-year-old tore his Achilles on the opening day of practice in 2021.
With Sankey no longer with the Roughriders, the Valdosta State product will shift back to his natural position of middle linebacker. Dean may not be the most vocal player inside of the Riders locker room, but he is definitely regarded as one team’s top leaders.
Derrick Moncrief
The former Oklahoma State Cowboy returned to Saskatchewan last year for his second stint with the team. Moncrief would go on to finish tied for the team’s lead for interceptions (4). Saskatchewan depended on the 29-year-old to cover some of the league’s top receivers. He also finished 5th overall in the team’s leaders in tackles (49). The linebacker was rewarded for his efforts as Divisional All-Star.
Moncrief began his career with the Roughriders, spending four seasons in green and white before moving on to the National Football League. He suited up with the Edmonton Elks in 2021 before coming back to Saskatchewan.
Micah Teitz
After missing the entire 2022 season, the Saskatchewan Roughriders will get their ratio-breaker back in the lineup. With Dean moving back to the middle of the defence, the 26-year-old will slide back to the weak-side linebacker spot.
2021 was the Calgary product’s first full season as a starter with the Roughriders, during that campaign Teitz ended up with 64 tackles and three sacks.
A.J. Allen
Saskatchewan’s fourth round choice in 2020, Allen spent his rookie season primarily on special teams collecting six tackles. The 25-year-old also picked up six tackles on defence in 2022. He was the OUA’s top defensive player in 2021 when he was a member of the Guelph Gryphons.
Tommy Bringi
Another fourth-round selection made by Saskatchewan, this time in 2022. The 23-year-old played in 12 games and had six tackles on special teams. Before joining the Riders, Bringi spent three seasons with Wilfred Laurier.
Justin Herdman-Reed
The Winnipeg product returns to the Roughriders for a third season. Last year with the green and white, Herdman-Reed emerged as one of the top special team tacklers for Saskatchewan as he ended up with ten on the year. Prior to joining the Roughriders, the 28-year-old spent three seasons in Toronto.
Alvin Jones Jr.
Originally signing with the Roughriders in October of 2021, the 28-year-old returned to Saskatchewan for training camp in 2022 and played in both pre-season games. He saw action in one regular season game where he made a special teams tackle.
Jerry Garner Jr.
The 24-year-old joins Saskatchewan after he spent five seasons with Mississippi Valley State. The former Delta Devil recorded 163 tackles, 39.5 sacks, 17.5 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries in 46 games played.
Kolby Harvell-Peel
The 23-year-old joined the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent and attended rookie minicamp with the team. A four-year starter with the Oklahoma State Cowboys, he would recorded 237 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, five sacks, 10 interceptions in 49 games. Harvell-Peel earned First-Team All-Big 12 honours following both the 2019 and 2021 seasons.
Ryan Henry
A late addition to the Roughriders roster, the Miami, Florida product spent three seasons at Old Dominion University. He would post 127 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, one interception, one pass knock down and one forced fumble in a 24-game-span.
La’Akea Kaho’ohanohano-Davis
The Hawaiian product played five seasons with Southern Utah University. He led the team Thunderbirds in tackles in 2020 and 2021. The linebacker attended rookie camp with the Seattle Seahawks in 2022.
Lukas Ruoss
Selected by the Roughriders in the 2022 CFL Global Draft, the Switzerland product joins the Roughriders after spending last season with the Reign Fire of the European Football League where he tallied 62 tackles, six tackles for loss and three interceptions, including one pick-six, over 12 games.
Kyrei Fisher-Morris
Just signing with the Roughriders on Thursday, the 24-year-old completed a four-year run with the Oregon State University. In 2022, the Oklahoma native started all 13 games with 77 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception and six pass knockdowns to earn an All-Pac-12 Honourable Mention.
