The Saskatchewan Roughriders have added another weapon to their new look offence, signing veteran import receiver Derel Walker.
The 31-year-old has spent six of his last seven seasons with Edmonton, with the exception of the 2019 campaign with Toronto. In 16 games last season, he recorded 65 receptions for 874 yards and one touchdown. Walker has amassed 471 career catches for 6,653 yards and 33 touchdowns in 91 C-F-L games. He has twice been named a C-F-L All-Star and earned divisional honours four times while winning a Grey Cup as a rookie in 2015. Following is the news release from the Green and White…..
DATE: March 2, 2023
RELEASE TIME: IMMEDIATELY
RELEASE: SR23-034
ROUGHRIDERS ADD STANDOUT RECEIVER DEREL WALKER
The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed American wide receiver Derel Walker.
Walker (6’2-187) joins the Green and White with a storied, seven-season CFL career which includes a Grey Cup Championship, two CFL All-Star awards, four divisional All-Star awards, three 1,000+ yard seasons and the league’s Most Outstanding Rookie Award in 2015.
Walker spent six of his last seven seasons with the Edmonton Elks, amassing a career 6,653 yards on 471 receptions including 2,057 yards after catch and 33 touchdowns. He also holds a 14.1 yards per reception average over 91 games played. In his last two seasons with the Elks, he appeared in 27 games and registered 1,405 yards, one touchdown and three 100+ yard games. He spent 2019 with the Toronto Argonauts where he tallied 1,040 yards and six touchdowns on 65 receptions and was named an East Division All-Star.
In his Most Outstanding Rookie season, he took the league by storm earning 1,110 yards and six touchdowns in just 12 games. He went on to top his impressive totals in his sophomore campaign in 2016, earning 1,589 yards on 109 receptions (finishing second in the league in both categories) and 10 touchdowns. The Texas native signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2017 but returned to the Elks in the fall and tallied 634 yards and two touchdowns in eight games. He missed seven regular season games due to injury in 2018, but still registered 875 yards and eight touchdowns and was named a West Division All-Star.
Collegiately, Walker played two seasons at Texas A&M where he made 59 receptions for 903 yards and five touchdowns and helped the Aggies win the 2013 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl 52-48 over Duke with his 113-yard, one touchdown performance.
