On Sunday, the Saskatchewan Roughriders acquired wide receiver and kick returner Mario Alford from the Montreal Alouettes for a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2023 CFL Draft. If Alford plays nine games for Saskatchewan, the sixth-round pick will turn into a fifth-round pick.
Mario Alford (30-years-old) played one game for the Alouettes in Week 1 against Calgary, with two kickoff returns for 40 yards. Alford played three seasons in Montreal (2019, 2021-22) with one catch for 14 yards, 26 punt returns for 486 yards, five touchdowns, and 24 kickoff returns for 477 yards on special teams in 11 games.
Before Montreal, Alford played one season in Toronto (2018) with seven catches for 57 yards and one carry for ten yards. In addition, Alford had five punt returns for seven yards and eight kickoff returns for 170 yards in six games.
The Greenville, Georgia, native played two seasons at Georgia Military College (2011-12) with 85 carries for 767 yards, ten touchdowns, and caught ten passes for 122 yards and one touchdown. He transferred to West Virginia (2014) with 65 catches for 945 yards, 11 touchdowns, and two carries for 14 yards. In addition, he had 26 kickoff returns for 743 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games.
The Cincinnati Bengals drafted Alford in the seventh round (238th pick) in the 2015 NFL Draft. He played one game with one catch for 15 yards and later spent time on the New York Jets, Chicago Bears, and Cleveland Browns practice squads.
