ROUGHRIDER MINI-CAMP
Hopefuls keen to make mark
Adam Laurensse and Drew Powell followed different paths with an eye toward reaching the same goal with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Laurensse and Powell are both hoping to land jobs in the CFL team’s defensive backfield for the 2018 season. With that objective in mind, they were both at the Riders’ mini-camp that wrapped up Wednesday at the IMG Academy.
Laurensse was a seventh-round selection (61st overall) in the 2017 CFL draft by his hometown Calgary Stampeders. He returned to the University of Calgary after attending the Stampeders’ training camp.
On Sept. 1, the Riders acquired Laurensse’s rights from the Stampeders for national offensive lineman Dillon Guy. Laurensse signed with the Riders Feb. 21.
He didn’t have any problems switching allegiances to the Green and White despite growing up in Calgary.
“I’m a CFL fan overall and I’m just looking for a place to play,” Laurensse said Wednesday. “I was just happy that the team showed some interest in me.”
Laurensse, who is six-foot-two and 185 pounds, was primarily a safety with the Dinos and is looking to continue to play the same position at the professional level.
Powell is also looking at a different position, having played quarterback at Livingstone College and later with the Iowa Barnstormers of the Indoor Football League.
“This was my second week of playing defensive back,” Powell said with a smile.
Powell, 23, started working as a defensive back shortly after being informed by the Riders of the position change. He also did some research and learned that Chris Jones, the Riders’ head coach and general manager, likes to use players at different positions than they played in college.
“The coaches had confidence in me and felt that I can make the move, so it makes me feel that I can definitely do it,” said Powell, who is six-foot-two and 200 pounds. “I’ve got all of the tools and I wanted to go out there and have some fun.”
Jones has had an eye on Laurensse since the 2017 regional combine, where the Riders head coach felt the now 24-year-old defensive back stood out.
“The safety position is something that we’ve tagged as a Canadian spot,” Jones said. “So that’s an important guy to continue to find.”
Laurensse spent five seasons with the Dinos, recording 41 defensive tackles and a sack in his final season. This year marked Laurensse’s first mini-camp.
“Everybody is on a learning curve here because the game is a little bit different,” Laurensse said. “Still, football is football at the end of the day.”
Jason Shivers, who is in his third season as the Riders’ defensive backs coach, was impressed with Laurensse.
“(Laurensse) is getting used to playing our style of defence,” Shivers said. “He comes from more of a back-pedal type of defence, where we’re more of press-technique and get-in-your-face defence. That was a little bit of an adjustment for him and by Day 2 he was doing well.”
Shivers then praised Powell for making the switch from quarterback to defensive back.
“I was impressed that he was able to move his feet and pick up the defensive schemes,” Shivers said. “I was amazed at how he did that so fast.”
Powell was among 175 prospects who took part in Saturday’s free-agent camp conducted by the Riders. He made the cut and was among 22 players signed before mini-camp.
“The first three days I showed them what I can do as an athlete,” Powell said. “(Wednesday) I focused on doing the little things and just doing my job. That way when the coaches look at me, they see that I’m just doing my job. They can also see that every time they ask me to do something that I’m in the right spot.”
The end of the mini-camp marked the conclusion of a stressful five days for Powell.
“It was a grind,” Powell said. “If you make this, then you have to do this. You still have to do this and to keep going. I definitely appreciate it and the opportunity given to me by the Riders.”
Laurensse is looking to make football his career with university behind him.
“I think I bring a work ethic (to the team) and if I work hard enough, I’ll be able to make plays on the field,” he said.
I’m a CFL fan overall and I’m just looking for a place to play. I was just happy that the team showed some interest in me.