Riley (#55) in action with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. (Facebook/Darren Steinke)

By Mat Barrett

Cancelled CFL Season

Riders first-round pick reacts to cancelled CFL season

Aug 24, 2020 | 3:11 PM

Saskatchewan Roughriders first round pick Mattland Riley said he’s disappointed there won’t be a Canadian Football League (CFL) season this year.

The Melfort native told northeastNOW while he was excited to get to the CFL, he’s happy there are finally some answers.

“On the one hand too it was just nice getting an answer about what was going on,” Riley said. “I know that it was frustrating just being caught in the middle of ‘are we playing, are we not?'”

The former University of Saskatchewan Huskies standout was drafted by the Riders seventh overall at the CFL Draft in April, and said he was looking forward to life playing pro football.

“I was excited to move on to the next level,” Riley said. “And see how I compared to everyone else; get up on the bigger stage.”

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The offensive lineman said it gives him an opportunity to treat this time like an extra-long offseason. Riley said he’s spent a lot of time recently talking with his trainer and figuring out how to work while no games are being played.

“I’ve never had this length of time to prep for a football season,” he said. “So, I think that we’re going to do whatever we can to put me in the best position to make me a better football player.”

Riley added strength and conditioning are two keys at the CFL level, and things he’s going to continue to work on as things move forward.

“I want to get myself into a position where I can easily compete with the older guys that are in the CFL,” he said.

Riley added the National Football League wasn’t really something he had thought about, or was considering.

As for the football field and in the real world, Riley has been working in Saskatoon doing some project management for a general contractor and is going to be transitioning into working for an agricultural machine manufacturer doing some design engineering.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6