The Saskatchewan Roughriders turned their eyes towards 2026, inking a trio of intriguing prospects—two recent draft picks and one returning American, to deepen the talent pool on both sides of the ball. National defensive back Gideon Agyei, American defensive end Chico Bennett Jr., and National wide receiver D’Sean Mimbs have officially put pen to paper, giving Rider Nation another glimpse at the club’s future core.
Agyei Brings Speed, Length, and Upside to the Secondary
Gideon Agyei, selected 52nd overall in the sixth round of the 2025 CFL Draft, is a name Rider fans heard plenty about during training camp last spring. After impressing early, he returned to the University of Calgary for his final collegiate season, but not before showing enough promise for the Riders to keep close tabs on him.
Agyei’s body of work with the Dinos speaks for itself: 29 games, 70 tackles, two interceptions (including a pick-six), and 17 pass breakups. But it was his performance at the 2025 CFL Invitational Combine that really turned heads. He ripped off a 4.59 forty-yard dash, good for fourth overall and second among all defensive backs, and his 16 reps on the bench press led the position group. His 4.27 shuttle showcased the type of short-area quickness CFL DBs need to thrive.
At 6-foot-2, Agyei brings the length, athleticism, and developmental upside that defensive coordinators salivate over. Expect him to be firmly in the mix come camp.
American defensive end Chico Bennett Jr. is back after a brief but encouraging look late last year. The 6-foot-4, 256-pound edge rusher suited up in Weeks 20 and 21, collecting a pair of defensive tackles and showing the athleticism that earned him a rookie minicamp invite from the Philadelphia Eagles. The Riders clearly see Bennett as a developing pass rusher with the ability to climb their depth chart quickly.
Regina’s own D’Sean Mimbs is staying home after being drafted 50th overall by the Riders in 2024. Mimbs saw action in four regular-season games last season, hauling in one catch for five yards while contributing on special teams.
But Rider fans who followed the University of Regina Rams know what the 6-foot-1 receiver brings. Over 32 collegiate games, Mimbs posted 130 receptions, 1,717 yards, and 10 touchdowns, emerging as one of the most reliable targets in Canada West.
He led the Rams in receptions and yards in both 2023 and 2024 and helped guide the program to a Mitchell Bowl appearance. His freshman season in 2021 remains one of the best in school history—he set the Rams’ record for most touchdown catches by a first-year player and was named the university’s Male Rookie of the Year.
All three will be at Riders’ training camp in the spring in Saskatoon.
