U of R Rams sign 6 players for 2017 team

The Rams have locked up six high school students from southern Saskatchewan to play with the 2017 team.

It was the first day that high school players could officially sign a CIS letter of intent committing themselves to their future university and the U of R took full advantage.

The pack of new recruits included Kyle Borsa and Tanner Schmekel from Michael A. Riffel High School in Regina, Ty Cappo and Noah Sampson from Greenall School in Balgonie, Parker Auchstaetter from Assiniboia and Parker Hodel from Winston Knoll.

They will all finish up their senior year of high school football, before starting to work out with the Rams after the season wraps.

“These are some high quality individuals, we’ve been very picky and selective about the kind of guys we’re going after we’re researching their character, their academics, their ability on the football field, trying to get the best most well-rounded football players that we can,” head coach Steve Bryce said Thursday morning

“We think this is just the tip of the iceberg for what we’re going to see in our recruiting class,” he added.

Bryce and his team of coaches and scouts will continue to look for players throughout the year. It’s expected that another 10 to 15 players could sign letters of intent for the 2017 season.

Bryce had kind words for all of his newest recruits, but mentioned Schmekel had made quite the impression on him, given he has only played football for the last two years.

“I just had a couple of coaches that were teachers come up to me around the school and told me to start coming to the morning workouts,” Schmekel said about how he began playing. “Then I started liking the chemistry with all the boys and then I got on to the field and I just loved it.”

“I like the physical aspect of it,” the defensive lineman added. “I just like banging into people.”

While you won’t be able to see these six players in a Rams uniform quite yet, the team kicks off its season in Saskatoon on Friday against the Huskies.

The Rams will also take part in new Mosaic Stadium’s first test event on Oct. 1. Individual tickets to the game are sold out, but you can still get access by purchasing a Rams flex pack.