The Saskatchewan Roughriders are dipping back into a familiar well as the club announced the signing of American defensive lineman Kendy Charles, who spent the 2025 season on the team’s practice roster.
Charles came in last year, impressed coaches with his explosiveness and work habits, and now gets another crack at carving out a bigger role on Corey Mace’s defence.
The six-foot, 287-pound lineman arrives with a deep NCAA résumé built across two programs. After transferring to Duke University for his senior year, Charles suited up in all 13 games for the Blue Devils. He recorded 50 tackles, including seven tackles for loss, two sacks, a fumble recovery, a pass breakup and a quarterback pressure. His best work came in the biggest moments—an 11-tackle performance against SMU in 2024 and another 10-tackle outing against Virginia Tech. His year earned him Second Team All-ACC honours, along with academic recognition.
Before Duke, Charles spent four seasons at Liberty University, where he was a steady force for the Flames. Over 37 games, including 21 starts, he racked up 108 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 14 sacks, and six quarterback pressures. He also added a forced fumble, a recovery, and a pass breakup while serving as a team captain in 2023. His time at Liberty included four bowl appearances.
