The Saskatchewan Roughriders signed fullback Morgen Runge, offensive linemen Zack Fry and Evan Floren, and linebackers Matt Dean and Nick Thomas on Tuesday.
Morgen Runge is six foot one and weighs 216 pounds. The 25-year-old from Whitecourt, Alberta, attended Saskatchewan’s training camp in 2023 before returning to the University of Alberta in 2023.
Runge played four seasons with the Edmonton Huskies (CJFL) with five carries for 69 yards, one touchdown, seven catches for 72 yards, and made 33 tackles on special teams in 22 games.
Then, Runge went to the University of Alberta (2021-23) with six catches for 43 yards, one touchdown, one catch for two yards, and three tackles (2 solo, 1 assist) in nine games for the Golden Bears.
Zack Fry is six foot six and weighs 304 pounds. The 23-year-old from London, Ontario, was selected by the Roughriders in the second round (16th pick) in the 2022 CFL Draft. Fry attended the Roughriders’ training camp before heading back to Western University for his final season.
Collegiately, Fry played four seasons at Western University (2018-22) playing 37 games for the Mustangs. In the 2022 season, Fry was part of an offense that led the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) in multiple categories including points per game (45.0), total offense (4,106 yards), rushing yards (2,336), rushing yards per game (292.0) and yards per rush (8.2).
In his collegiate career, Fry was named OUA All-Star and Second Team All-Canadian in 2022, a two-time OUA First-Team All-Star (2019, 2021), an OUA All-Rookie Team in 2018, and won the Vanier Cup in 2021.
Evan Floren is six foot four and weighs 303 pounds. The 23-year-old from Ancaster, Ontario, attended Saskatchewan’s training camp before returning to Queen’s University for his final season. Floren was taken in the seventh round (57th pick) of the 2023 CFL Draft. Floren played 31 games in four seasons at Queen’s University (2019-23) playing left guard.
Floren, along with the offensive line helped the Gaels finish second in the OUA in rushing at 239.3 yards per game and fourth with 227.3 passing yards per game. He was a two-time OUA First-Team All-Star and a U SPORTS Second-Team All-Canadian in 2022.
Matt Dean is six foot one and weighs 227 pounds. The 24-year-old from Ajax, Ontario, made one tackle on special teams in four games for the Roughriders in 2023. Dean was drafted in the third round (21st pick) of the 2023 CFL Draft.
Collegiately, Dean played four seasons at York University (2018-22) with 115 tackles (90 solo, 53 assists), 12.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, two interceptions for 16 yards, seven pass breakups, one forced fumble, three fumble recoveries, one blocked kick, and one kick return for 13 yards in 31 games for the Lions. He was named an OUA All-Star and Team MVP in 2022 and to the OUA All-Rookie Team in 2018.
Nick Thomas is five foot ten and weighs 218 pounds. The 25-year-old from Surrey, British Columbia, was selected in the seventh round (60th pick) of the 2023 CFL Draft.
Collegiately, Thomas played five seasons at the University of Manitoba (2018-23) with 140 tackles (94 solo, 46 assists), 10.5 for loss, 3.5 sacks, three pass breakups, and three forced fumbles in 32 games for the Bisons.
Thomas was named a U SPORTS and Canada West All-Star in 2021 after making 50 tackles (32 solo, 18 assists), four tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two pass breakups, and one forced fumble in seven games.
