The Saskatchewan Roughriders signed wide receiver Joe Robustelli and released defensive back Nick Nelson on Tuesday.
Joe Robustelli is six foot two and weighs 220 pounds. The 26-year-old from Sarasota, Florida, is the grandson of New York Giants defensive end Andrew Robustelli, a two-time NFL Champion, seven-time Pro Bowler, six-time First Team All-Pro, and inducted into the 1971 NFL Hall of Fame.
Collegiately, Robustelli went to Central Florida in 2022 but did not play for the Knights. Then, Robustelli transferred to Tusculum University in 2023 making 20 catches for 475 yards, six touchdowns, one carry for 11 yards, and one tackle (1 solo) in eight games for the Pioneers.
Nick Nelson is five foot eleven and weighs 205 pounds. The 27-year-old from Florence, South Carolina, was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fourth round (110th pick) of the 2018 NFL Draft. He played two seasons in Oakland/Las Vegas making 20 tackles (10 solo, 10 assists), one pass breakup, and one fumble recovery in 12 games.
Then, Nelson signed with the Indianapolis Colts on January 5, 2021. However, Nelson did not play for the Colts in 2021 due to an undisclosed injury. Nelson The Roughriders signed Nelson on February 9, 2024.
Collegiately, Nelson played two seasons at the University of Hawaii (2014-15) with 89 tackles (69 solo, 20 assists), 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, 20 pass breakups, two forced fumbles, one kick return for 24 yards, and 19 punt returns for 141 yards in 23 games for the Rainbow Warriors.
Then, Nelson transferred to Wisconsin in 2016 but had to sit out per NCAA transfer rules. In 2017, Nelson made 35 tackles (26 solo, 9 assists), one tackle for loss, 21 pass breakups, one blocked punt, 24 punt returns for 206 yards, and one touchdown in 14 games for the Badgers. He was named First Team All-Big 10 and Second Team All-American in 2017.
