Darian Durant approves the Saskatchewan Roughriders move to sign Canadian defensive back Tevaughn Campbell.
"He's a ratio-changer," Durant told the SportsCage. "Great pickup by Jeremy O'Day and staff of getting a guy who could lock down one side of the field."
Durant is excited about Campbell because of his experience and athleticism.
"Even when he was younger, he was running in the low 4.3 speed," Durant recalled." So an older Tevaughn, who is a 4.4 speed guy, can still run and can still make plays."
This will be Campbell's second stint with the Riders. He started his career with the Calgary Stampeders, who selected him in the third round, 22nd overall during 2015 CFL Draft. The Stamps traded Campbell to the Green and White in February 2016 for a fourth round pick in the 2017 CFL Draft. He suited up in 12 games with Saskatchewan that year, recording 12 defensive tackles, four special teams tackles, one interception and one sack.
In August 2017, Campbell was traded to the Montreal Alouettes along with two third round picks in the CFL Draft. The Roughriders received Vernon Adams Jr. and a 2018 fifth round CFL Draft pick.
Campbell signed with was the New York Jets in 2019. After training camp, signed with the Los Angeles Chargers and played there from 2019 to 2022. He had a short stint with the Las Vegas Raiders prior to the Jacksonville Jaguars adding him.
During his NFL career, the Scarborough, ON native played 37 games, registered 65 defensive tackles, three forced fumbles and one interception returned for a touchdown. Overall, Campbell earned approximately $3.1 million USD in the NFL.
Another signing the Riders have made was small school receiver Wayne Ruby Jr. Durant believes Ruby Jr. can be a "hidden gem" and applauded the scouting staff.
"This is a perfect signing," Durant explained. "This is what your scouting staff gets paid for, to find these diamonds in the rough, to find these guys who may not have had the grades coming out of high school or may have been overlooked, maybe haven't developed their bodies fully and had to go to a smaller school in order to play and be seen."
The six-foot-one, 190-pound receiver played his collegiate career at the University of Mount Union, an NCAA Division III school from 2019-2023. He won the Ohio Athletic Conference Ed Sherman Award as the best receiver for three straight years from 2021-2023. During Ruby Jr.'s senior season, he played 12 games, recording 75 receptions for 1,124 yards with 15 touchdowns. Prior to Ruby Jr. coming to the Riders, he spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted NFL free agent.
