The Saskatchewan Roughriders released defensive back Jalon Edwards-Cooper and signed linebacker Stephen Smith on Sunday. The Roughriders placed wide receiver Dazz Newsome, and offensive linemen Brandon Council, Jerald Hawkins, Jonathan Hubbard, and Sadarius Hutcherson.
Jalon Edwards-Cooper is five foot eleven and weighs 175 pounds. The 27-year-old from Spring, Texas, signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders on February 6, 2024. In 2023, Edwards-Cooper made 36 tackles, one tackle on special teams, one interception, and one forced fumble in 14 games for the B.C. Lions in 2023.
The Lions signed Edwards-Cooper as a free agent on June 16, 2021. He played three seasons with 79 tackles, one tackle on special teams, one interception, and one forced fumble in 30 games.
Collegiately, Edwards-Cooper played four seasons at Texas A&M University-Commerce (2016-19) making 139 tackles (97 solo, 42 assists), 16.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, six interceptions for 63 yards, one touchdown, 32 pass breakups, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and one blocked punt in 46 games for the Lions.
Stephen Smith is six foot and weighs 220 pounds. The 22-year-old from Stony Plain, Arizona, made 89 tackles (52 solo, 36 assists, 1 tackle on special teams), one tackle for loss, one sack, and one fumble recovery in 10 games for the Regina Thunder (CJFL) in 2023. Smith was named the CJFL Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Canadian.
Smith has played three seasons in Regina making 233 tackles (130 solo, 87 assists, 13 tackles on special teams, three assist tackles on special teams), one tackle for loss, 4.5 sacks, one fumble recovery, two interceptions, and one blocked kick in 29 games.
Dazz Newsome is five foot ten and weighs 184 pounds. The 24-year-old from Hampton, Virginia, made one catch for nine yards in one preseason game for the San Francisco 49ers in 2023 against the Denver Broncos. The 49ers signed Newsome as a free agent on November 15, 2022, and was placed on the practice squad.
Before San Francisco, Newsome was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round (221st pick) of the 2021 NFL Draft. In 2021, he made two catches for 23 yards, six kick returns for 75 yards, and made two tackles (1 solo, 1 assist) in three games. After Chicago, Newsome signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022 and was placed on the practice squad.
Collegiately, Newsome played four seasons at North Carolina (2017-20) making 188 catches for 2,435 yards, 18 touchdowns, 20 carries for 178 yards, two touchdowns, completing one pass for 43 yards, seven kick returns for 144 yards, and 48 punt returns for 535 yards in 43 games for the Tar Heels. He was named Second Team All-ACC in 2019.
Brandon Council is six foot four and weighs 328 pounds. The 26-year-old from Tar Heel, North Carolina, was on the Roughriders practice squad in 2023. Saskatchewan signed Council as a free agent on May 25, 2023. Before Saskatchewan, Council attended the New York Jets rookie minicamp.
Collegiately, Council played three seasons at Auburn (2020-22) playing all five positions in 27 games for the Tigers. He concluded his collegiate career by playing in the NFLPA Collegiate All-Star Game and was named the Team’s Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2022.
Before Auburn, Council played three seasons at Akron (2017-19), making 24 starts playing left and right tackle, left guard, and center in 25 games for the Zips. In 2017, Council helped the Zips to 443 yards of total offense and four passing touchdowns while securing Akron’s top spot in the MAC East.
Jerald Hawkins is six foot six and weighs 305 pounds. The 30-year-old from Baldwin, Louisiana, signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders on December 8, 2022, and spent the 2023 season on the practice squad.
Before Saskatchewan, the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Hawkins in the fourth round (123rd pick) in the 2016 NFL Draft out of LSU. However, he suffered a shoulder injury in training camp and missed the 2016 season. The following year, he played five games, and in 2018 tore his quad and missed the entire season.
In 2019, Hawkins was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and played one game. Then in 2020, Hawkins signed with the Houston Texans and was on the practice squad before the Steelers brought him back and played 13 games.
In 2021, Hawkins signed with the New England Patriots but was released during training camp on August 16. Four months later, Hawkins signed with the New Orleans Saints and spent two seasons on the practice squad.
Collegiately, Hawkins played three seasons at LSU (2013-15) playing 12 games at left tackle and 25 games at right tackle for a total of 37 games for the Tigers. He opted to forgo his senior year to enter the NFL Draft.
Jonathan Hubbard is six foot four and weighs 310 pounds. The 26-year-old from Kilgore, Texas, signed with the Roughriders on February 20, 2024. Before Saskatchewan, Hubbard spent two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the practice squad. Before Tampa Bay, Hubbard signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2020 and spent most of the season on the practice squad.
Collegiately, Hubbard played five seasons at Northwestern State University (2015-19) playing 33 games, of which 27 were starts for the Demons. In 2018, the Demons offense had at least 15 knockdowns in five games and double-digit knockdowns in nine games.
Sadarius Hutcherson is six foot four and weighs 315 pounds. The 26-year-old from Huntingdon, Tennessee, signed with the Roughriders on April 3, 2024. Before Saskatchewan, Hutcherson signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2021.
Then, the Memphis Showboats signed Hutcherson as a free agent on February 15, 2023, and released him on October 12, 2023. Hutcherson did not play for the Memphis Showboats in 2023. Memphis was ranked sixth in passing yards per game (172.4), sixth in passing touchdowns (10), sixth in rushing yards per game (85.9), and seventh in rushing touchdowns (4).
Collegiately, Hutcherson played five seasons at South Carolina (2016-20) playing guard and tackle in 39 tackles for the Gamecocks. He was Second Team All-SEC by Pro Football Focus in 2020.
