St. John a draft pick and grad in same week
It has been quite the week for Josiah St. John.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders selected the 23-year-old offensive tackle with the first overall pick in Tuesday’s CFL draft. Three days later, the native of Pickering, Ont., was taking part in a commencement ceremony after graduating from the University of Oklahoma with a communications degree.
“It means a lot (to graduate),’’ St. John said prior to Friday’s ceremony in Norman, Okla. “I still remember my first year of classes and how many hours that I had to take and then thinking I would never finish my degree. Now that it’s finally over it seems crazy. I’m glad that I made it through because not too many people graduate.’’
St. John’s parents, Lovelace and Esther, were on hand for Friday’s commencement ceremony. They also shared in Tuesday’s excitement when the Riders made St. John the first Sooner to be selected with the first overall pick in the CFL draft.
“For us (Josiah being drafted) was a great accomplishment,’’ Lovelace said. “We don’t want to downplay his graduation because we are truly grateful for that.’’
Friday’s ceremony marked the end of a lifelong dream for St. John. While growing up and playing football in southern Ontario, he dreamed of playing in a big-time NCAA program.
“I grew up watching the games on TV,’’ St. John said. “I really wanted to be a person who played at a high level and at a Division 1 college.’’
St. John’s road to Oklahoma started at a junior college in Fresno, Calif. He made the trip from Pickering to attend Fresno City College without having visited the college or met the coaches.
St. John’s first year of junior college was a challenge because scholarships weren’t offered and he had to pay out-of-state tuition. Add in a 30-minute drive to the college and money was tight for St. John.
“There were times when I really didn’t have money for food and I had to go hungry,’’ St. John said. “Still, that’s what junior college football is. Not a lot of people have a lot of money in junior college.’’
There were also times when St. John wondered about his decision to head south to play football.
“I would call my mom and she would encourage me,’’ he said. “She reminded me what the bigger goal was and that I wanted to play Division 1 in the United States.’’
St. John then earned a scholarship to Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas. St. John’s play at Trinity Valley attracted the attention of scouts from NCAA Division 1 schools.
“Once people realized that I was doing well, they were able to offer me scholarships to take the financial stress off me,’’ St. John said. “At least I was able to go to school and not have to worry about food and all of the things that I was struggling with at the time.’’
Bill Bedenbaugh, the Sooners’ offensive line coach, was a member of the coaching staff at West Virginia University when he first recruited St. John at Fresno College.
Bedenbaugh headed to Oklahoma after St. John had become the first Canadian to commit to the Sooners. They then spent three seasons working together with the Sooners.
“He progressed in the three years that he was here,’’ Bedenbaugh said from Norman. “There was a point in time when he first got here that you saw the talent, but you never knew if he was going to play. He progressed and progressed and started (four) games for us in his senior year.’’
After redshirting in 2013, St. John dressed for 15 games with the Sooners over the 2014 and 2015 seasons. His first start for the Sooners was Sept. 12 against the Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville, Tenn.
“It was crazy because it was an SEC school, on the road and in prime time,’’ said St. John, who turns 24 on Wednesday. “I remember walking around the field before the game and the place was filling up. The sun was going down and it was something that I will never forget.’’
St. John attracted the attention of CFL scouts even though he didn’t start many games. The Riders picked St. John (6-foot-6 and 309 pounds) because of his size and his versatility.
St. John, who has yet to sign with the Riders, is expected to compete for the right tackle position when training camp opens on May 29. The Riders also like that he can play guard while learning the Canadian game.
“He’s very athletic,’’ said Riders offensive co-ordinator Stephen McAdoo. “He’s a big man, who is very good at pass sets. Nobody is going to come into the CFL and be ready to be a starter. He still has the potential to be a big addition to our team.’’