The Saskatchewan Roughriders released running back Kennedy Brooks, wide receiver O’Joshua Bunton, defensive lineman Elijah Ponder, linebackers Jaxon Ciraolo-Brown, Jaylen Moody, and Marcus Murphy, and defensive back Mark Fields II on Saturday.
Kennedy Brooks is five foot eleven and weighs 213 pounds. The 25-year-old from Mansfield, Texas, was drafted by the Memphis Showboats in the 2024 UFL Dispersal Draft before being released on March 2, 2024, and later signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders on April 12, 2024.
Before Saskatchewan, Brooks played three preseason games for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023 with 13 carries for 45 yards, and three catches for 20 yards. Brooks signed with the Eagles as an undrafted free agent on May 6, 2022. He spent the 2022 season on the Eagles practice squad.
Then, Brooks signed with the Philadelphia Stars (USFL) on October 31, 2023. However, the Stars were not included in the USFL and XFL merger which formed the United Football League (UFL).
Collegiately, Brooks played three seasons at Oklahoma (2018-19, 2021) with 472 carries for 3,320 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 29 catches for 209 yards in 38 games for the Sooners. In 2021, Brooks had 198 carries for 1,253 yards, 13 touchdowns, and nine catches for 73 yards in 13 games.
In 2018, he was named USA Today Freshman All-American, a Second Team All-Big 12 in 2019, and an Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award semifinalist in 2021. Brooks became the fourth running back in OU history with three 1,000-yard rushing seasons.
O’Joshua Bunton is six foot one and weighs 183 pounds. The 25-year-old from Crawfordsville, Arkansas, signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders on December 22, 2023.
Collegiately, Bunton played four seasons at Lane College (2018-22) with 47 catches for 868 yards, seven touchdowns, one carry for three yards, and one kick return for 61 yards in 29 games for the Dragons.
In addition, Bunton earned the NCAA Division II First-Team All-American honors in 2022 for both the 100-meter and 200-meter, becoming the first two-time All-American in school history. He set the school record in the 100-meter with a time of 10.36 seconds en route to earning the 2022 Lane College Male Athlete of the Year Award.
Elijah Ponder is six foot three and weighs 275 pounds. The 26-year-old from Atlanta, Georgia, signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2021 and spent a couple of seasons on the practice squad. In the 2022 preseason, Ponder made four tackles (2 solo, 2 assists) in three preseason games.
Next, Ponder was drafted by the Seattle Sea Dragons (XFL) in the first round (2nd pick) in Phase 3 of the 2023 XFL Draft. Ponder made 15 tackles (4 solo, 11 assists), two tackles for loss, two sacks, two quarterback hits, and two pass breakups in nine games for the Seattle Sea Dragons (XFL) in 2023. After Ponder went unclaimed in the 2024 UFL Dispersal Draft, he signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders on February 12, 2024.
Collegiately, Ponder played four seasons at Cincinnati (2017-20) making 64 tackles (27 solo, 37 assists), 12.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, one pass breakup, and two forced fumbles in 32 games for the Bearcats. He was named First Team All-AAC in 2019.
Jaxon Ciraolo-Brown is six foot and weighs 200 pounds. The 24-year-old from Hamilton, Ontario, was drafted by the Ticats in the eighth round (73rd pick) of the 2022 CFL Draft. The Roughriders signed Ciraolo-Brown as a free agent on December 6, 2023.
Collegiately, Ciraolo-Brown played six seasons at the University of British Columbia (2018-23) with 161 tackles (104 solo, 57 assists), 8 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 4 interceptions for 123 yards, 7 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble in 26 games for the Thunderbirds. He was named a Canada West All-Star in 2023.
Jaylen Moody is six foot and weighs 222 pounds. The 25-year-old from Conway, South Carolina, signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and played two preseason games before he was released on August 29, 2023. The Roughriders signed Moody as a free agent on October 3, 2023, and finished the season on the practice squad.
Collegiately, Moody played five seasons at the University of Alabama (2018-22) with 93 tackles (44 solo, 49 assists), eight tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception for 13 yards, one pass breakup, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries in 65 games for the Crimson Tide.
Moody earned the Alabama Football President’s Award in 2022, given to a player from each unit who has shown perseverance in making outstanding contributions to the team’s success. Moody helped the Crimson Tide capture the 2020 College Football National Championship over Ohio State playing special teams.
Marcus Murphy is six foot one and weighs 200 pounds. The 25-year-old from West Point, Mississippi, Murphy signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2021. He played one preseason game for the Falcons against the Tennessee Titans recording no stats.
Then, Murphy was drafted by the Orlando Guardians in the seventh round (49th pick) in Phase 2 of the 2023 XFL Draft. Murphy made 25 tackles (12 solo, 13 assists), one interception for 22 yards, and two pass breakups in nine games for the Orlando Guardians (XFL) in 2023. The Roughriders signed Murphy as a free agent on February 20, 2024.
Collegiately, Murphy played three seasons at Mississippi State (2018-20) making 66 tackles (34 solo, 32 assists), 2.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions for 38 yards, one touchdown, five pass breakups, and one kick return for 16 yards in 22 games for the Bulldogs.
Mark Fields II is five foot ten and weighs 180 pounds. The 27-year-old from Cornelius, North Carolina, spent part of the 2023 season on the Saskatchewan Roughriders practice squad. The Roughriders originally signed Fields II on October 18, 2023, but released him on October 23, 2023, and later brought him back on November 29, 2023.
Before Saskatchewan, Fields II signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2019. He later signed with the Minnesota Vikings and played one game in the same season.
In 2020, Fields II played two games for the Vikings making one tackle (1 solo) before he was released and later signed with the Houston Texans in the same season. Fields II played two games for the Texans with one tackle (1 solo).
Then, Fields II signed with the Birmingham Stallions as a free agent on August 22, 2022, but did not play for them after Birmingham placed him on the did not report list and he never played for the Stallions.
Collegiately, Fields II played four seasons at Clemson (2015-18) with 42 tackles (33 solo, 9 assists), five tackles for loss, one sack, 12 pass breakups, one interception, and one touchdown in 46 games, of which six were starts for the Tigers.
