The Saskatchewan Roughriders announced the signing of a trio of players to attend their 2025 training camp. American offensive lineman Nick Jones will be a returnee to the Green and White after the Mississippi State grad played in six games in 2024. Canadian receiver D’Sean Mimbs was the Riders’ sixth round pick in the 2024 C-F-L Draft, attended training camp, then played the season with the Regina Rams while Canadian kicker Ben Hadley also played U Sports this past season with St. Francis Xavier. Following is the news release from the Roughriders…..
DATE: November 25, 2024
RELEASE TIME: IMMEDIATELY
RELEASE: SR24-153
ROUGHRIDERS SIGN OL NICK JONES, CANADIANS HADLEY AND MIMBS
The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed American offensive lineman Nick Jones, National Kicker Ben Hadley and National wide receiver D’Sean Mimbs.
Jones (6’3-300) spent the 2024 season with the Roughriders where he suited up for six games along the offensive line, contributing to a unit that unit that allowed just 35 sacks.
Collegiately, Jones played 32 collegiate career games over three seasons (2021-2023) at left tackle and left guard with Mississippi State and made 25 starts. As a senior, he allowed only three sacks on 657 snaps and helped the offense rush for 1,761 yards and pass for 2,182 yards. In his first two games as a Bulldog, Jones played a pivotal role in helping running back Woody Marks achieve consecutive 100-yard rushing performances. As junior in 2022, he helped the Bulldogs average 311 passing yards per game – earning the 10th best passing attack in the nation.
Prior to Mississippi State, Jones attended East Mississippi Community College (2019), appearing in 10 games. The 23-year-old was part of an offence that averaged 457.4 yards of offence per game and 34.8 points. Overall, the offence ranked seventh nationally in total offence.
Hadley (6’2-190) is coming off a stellar senior campaign at St. Francis Xavier University that saw him named a U Sports First Team All-Canadian for the second consecutive season. The Halifax, Nova Scotia native made 25 of 29 field goals he attempted (86%), including a career long 55 yarder, and went 21 of 21 on PATs scoring a total of 96 points for the X-Men. His 25 field goals were the most in U Sports and he set a school record by kicking the longest field goal in SFX history (and second longest in the AUS) at 55 yards.
Hadley played four seasons at St. FX (2021-24), suiting up for 30 games and kicking 61 of 74 field goals for a collegiate career 82% average and 254 points. In addition to his two All-Canadian nods, Hadley is a three-time AUS special teams all-star and was named the X-Men special teams player of the year in 2023 and 2024.
Mimbs (6’1-180) Was selected by the Roughriders in the sixth round (50th overall) of the 2024 CFL Draft. He participated in training camp with the club in 2024 before returning to the University of Regina to continue his collegiate career.
Mimbs spent the last four seasons at the U of R (2020-24) where he played 32 games for the Rams. Over that time, the Regina native recorded 130 receptions for 1,717 yards and ten touchdowns. In 2024, he led the Rams in both receptions (45) and receiving yards (512) for the second consecutive season, helping the team go all the way to the Mitchell Bowl. As a junior, Mimbs was invited to participate in the 2023 East-West Bowl.
In 2021, he started all six Canada West games for the Rams and led the team in both receiving yards (288) and touchdown catches (5). That same year, Mimbs set a program record for most touchdown catches in a season by a first-year player and was named the University of Regina’s Male Rookie of the Year.
