Riders LB Eguaoven pursuing NFL job
International linebacker Samuel Eguavoen is leaving the Saskatchewan Roughriders to pursue an NFL opportunity, the team announced Wednesday.
In an emailed statement announcing his release, the Riders did not provide more information about Egauvoen’s southern destination.
The team also announced Wednesday that it has released international receiver Kenny Shaw. The fouryear CFL veteran joined Saskatchewan last season and played three games, catching 11 passes for 153 yards and no touchdowns.
Eguavoen, 25, who was scheduled to become a free agent Feb. 12, spent the last three seasons with Saskatchewan after originally signing with the team in 2016.
Through his three seasons in Saskatchewan, Eguavoen picked up 159 defensive tackles, 14 special-teams tackles, four quarterback sacks and one interception in 38 regular-season games. He also added a 30-yard fumble return touchdown and picked up 14 defensive tackles and two special-teams tackles during three playoff games.
While playing on the weak side during the 2018 season, Eguavoen led the Riders with 81 defensive tackles and scored on returns of an interception and a blocked punt.
Eguavoen registered 225 tackles and 14.5 tackles for losses during his four seasons at Texas Tech University, but he wasn’t selected in the 2015 NFL draft. With no prospects in that league, Eguavoen spent a year working in Dallas.
“I was going to go into coaching, but I feel like you’ve got to keep playing football until you can’t play anymore,” the six-foot, 227-pounder said during his first training camp in green and white. “You might as well burn it up.”
Eguavoen caught the Riders’ attention at an off-season free-agent camp and signed in February 2016.
“If I want to coach, I might as well play in different leagues and know everything about football possible before I try to tell somebody else what to do,” Eguavoen said. “I want to get all the coaching I possibly can, especially at the professional level, before I start coaching.”
According to 3Downnation, Eguavoen’s NFL deal is “imminent” after he worked out for six teams in December, including the Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers.