The road from Glencairn on the east side of Regina to the doorstep of the CFL Invitational Combine has been anything but smooth for De Shawn Le Jour.
The six-foot-three, 220-pound University of Manitoba Bisons receiver has lived through setbacks, heartbreak, injury, and uncertainty. Yet, on Friday in Waterloo, Ontario he’ll line up with a chance to punch his ticket to the CFL’s main combine March 27 through 29 in Edmonton.
And for Le Jour, even saying those words feels unreal.
“Where I came from, the obstacles that I've had in my life, even being able to say that I'm a couple days out from a CFL Combine is still surreal,” he told The SportsCage. “But I have to remind myself this is something I’ve worked for, something I’ve earned.”
If you didn’t know his story, you’d never guess that a big, physical pass catcher with elite power and ball skills was ever overlooked. But that chip on his shoulder is real.
“I’ve never been highly recruited. I wasn’t on Team Sask, I wasn’t highly touted coming out of high school,” he said. “It’s ironic being a six-foot-three, 220-pound underdog, but that’s who I’ve always been.”
Raised in Regina’s Glencairn neighbourhood, Le Jour credits his upbringing for giving him both identity and purpose.
“I want people to know the east side has great football players too,” he said.
Coming out of F.W. Johnson Collegiate, Le Jour didn’t receive a single U Sports offer. So he chose junior football, first playing with the Regina Thunder and later blossoming with the Edmonton Huskies.
His breakout year came in 2021:
- All-Canadian
- Led Prairie Football Conference with 11 touchdowns
- 600-plus receiving yards
But that season came after the darkest period of his life. Cut from the Thunder in 2019. Pandemic shutdown in 2020. And the sudden passing of his father, Nathan Cleare, his greatest role model.
“There were a lot of dark times. I was uncertain about who I was as a player and a person, but I had to dig deep and rely on the values my father instilled in me. It wasn’t easy, but it made me who I am today.”
His All-Canadian season opened university doors that had been closed years earlier. He nearly committed to the University of British Columbia, but Manitoba Bisons head coach Brian Dobie wasn’t about to let him leave the Prairies.
“I had called coach Dobie to tell him I was signing with UBC,” Le Jour laughed. “He kept me on the phone for three hours. That’s the magic of Brian Dobie.”
He committed to the Bisons shortly after.
As a rookie in 2022, he suited up for nine games:
- 13 receptions
- 165 yards
In 2023, he took another step:
- 300-plus yards
- Emerged as one of Canada West’s most reliable possession receivers
But the injury bug bit hard. An MCL tear in his knee ended his 2024 season, and a grade one tear to the same ligament limited him early in 2025.
“I’m not a guy who makes excuses,” he said. “I had opportunities I left on the table. I’m bringing that with me to Waterloo. I’m not letting that happen again.”
Le Jour has treated this offseason differently because it had to be. He’s spent two years running with the U of M track team, helping his speed and explosiveness, and has trained at The RINK Training Centre in Winnipeg alongside multiple CFL hopefuls.
“It’s been very specific, bench, vertical, broad, three-cone, five-10-five — being explosive,” he said. “I’m an older receiver. This isn’t new to me, I’ve enjoyed the process.”
And now?
“Physically, mentally, I feel good. A kid from Glencairn, FW Johnson, going to the CFL Combine. I’m enjoying it.”
When asked what would make the Invitational Combine a success, he didn’t hesitate.
“I need to go out there and be myself. If I do what I know I can do, I’ll be happy with the results.”
Overwhelmed by the moment? Not a chance.
“There’s white lines, I’ll have my cleats and gloves, and a DB will have to try to cover me. It’s just football. I’m going to do my best to make Regina and Glencairn proud,” Le Jour said.
Friday in Waterloo, Le Jour gets his chance to prove that the underdog label no longer applies to him.
