Roughriders sign 2018 first-round pick

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed national offensive lineman Dakoda Shepley, the team’s first-round selection in the 2018 CFL draft.

Shepley, a 24-year-old product of Windsor, Ont., signed a two-year contract with an option for 2021.

“I’m super happy to be finally committed to Saskatchewan. I’m excited for the certainty, too. The job security is what I’m really happy about here as well,” Shepley said in an interview with the Green Zone’s Jamie Nye on Tuesday.

Saskatchewan selected the 6-foot-4, 310-pound Shepley in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2018 draft, even though he already had signed with the NFL’s New York Jets.

Shepley went to training camp with the Jets and played three pre-season games with them before being released.

He joined the Roughriders’ practice roster in mid-October but, with the team’s blessing, headed home to Windsor after one week of practice.

Shepley said that one-week experience had an impact on him and returning to Saskatchewan later this year will feel kind of like coming home.

“The first thing I noticed was that Regina is a lot like my home town of Windsor,” he said. “Being from Windsor, I always loved coming back home and it felt like home when I touched down (in Regina) and drove around.”

As for the team, he’s looking forward to spending more time with veteran offensive linemen like Brendon LaBatte – who Shepley already is calling by his nickname, Blue – and with general manager Jeremy O’Day. O’Day was Shepley’s ride around town when he was here in the fall.

“He’s a great guy, a former offensive lineman, and a former Roughrider — well, current Roughrider too, I guess,” Shepley laughed. “I’m super excited to be working with him … excited to get back in the city and working with him one on one.”

Shepley played 32 career collegiate games with the UBC Thunderbirds, spending two seasons at guard and two seasons at tackle. In 2017, he was named a Canada West all-star.

— with files from the Green Zone’s Jamie Nye