The Saskatchewan Roughriders have released six American players from their practice roster, including quarterback Michael Hiers, running back SaRodorick Thompson Jr., receiver Braxton Hill, defensive lineman Zion Tupuola-Fetui, linebacker Braxton Hill, and defensive back Robert Javier.
Hiers spent his final two collegiate seasons at Samford University, an FCS program located in Homewood, Ala., where he completed 74.0 percent of his passes for 6,600 yards, 54 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He also ran for 97 yards and six major scores.
The six-foot-one, 215-pound passer was named the Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year and a second-team All-American in 2022 after helping the Bulldogs win a conference championship and reach the FCS playoffs for the first time since 1991.
Thompson Jr. went unselected in the 2023 NFL Draft before stints with the New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks, Dallas Cowboys, and Los Angeles Rams. He dressed for one game with the Seahawks but didn’t register any statistics.
The six-foot, 210-pound native of Irving, Texas played five collegiate seasons at Texas Tech University, rushing for 2,664 yards and scoring 41 touchdowns over 50 career games. He remains third all-time in program history in rushing touchdowns (40) and fourth in total touchdowns (41).
Mosley played 44 games over five collegiate seasons at Michigan State University, collecting 126 receptions for 1,464 career passing yards and 10 touchdowns. He recorded a catch in 25 straight games to end his career and was twice named to the watch list for the Wuerffel Trophy, the premier award for community service in college football. The six-foot-one, 200-pound target attended training camp with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Tupuola-Fetui played 60 games over six seasons at the University of Washington, amassing 88 total tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, and five forced fumbles. The six-foot-four, 260-pound edge rusher was named a third-team All-American in 2020 after collecting 7.5 sacks in four games but missed the following season with a torn Achilles. He was an honourable mention All-Pac 12 selection in each of his last two seasons and helped the Huskies reach the CFP Playoff National Championship as a senior.
Hill played four collegiate seasons at the University of Montana where he made 231 total tackles, 17 tackles for loss, nine sacks, eight pass deflections, two fumble recoveries, and two interceptions over 51 career games.
Javier played five collegiate seasons at Towson, an FCS program in Maryland. He recorded 77 total tackles, one tackle for loss, 26 pass breakups, and six interceptions over 36 games for the Tigers and was named second-team All-Conference in his junior and senior seasons.
The six-foot-one, 195-pound native of Bronx, N.Y. signed with the Tennessee Titans after going unselected in the 2024 NFL Draft but was cut by the team at the end of training camp. He reportedly ran a 4.60-second forty-yard dash at his pro day and recorded a vertical jump of 38.5 inches.
The Roughriders (9-7-1) will host the Calgary Stampeders (4-11-1) on Saturday, Oct. 26 with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. EDT.
