The Saskatchewan Roughriders have added another leg to their special teams unit with the acquisition of National kicker Dawson Hodge, the club confirmed Monday.
The former Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks standout brings a solid collegiate resume to the Green and White after completing his university career earlier this year. Standing five-foot-11 and weighing 180 pounds, the Coquitlam, B.C. product appeared in 41 games during his four seasons (2021-24) at Laurier.
Throughout his university tenure, Hodge connected on 63 field goals from 86 attempts while showcasing versatility as a punter, averaging 41.3 yards per kick. His final collegiate campaign saw him convert 78.6 percent of his field goal opportunities, successfully hitting 22 of 28 attempts.
The 2022 season marked a breakthrough for Hodge, who drilled a career-long 49-yard field goal and averaged an impressive 44.2 yards per punt. His performance that year earned him recognition as both an Ontario University Athletics (OUA) All-Star and a Second-Team U SPORTS All-Canadian.
Hodge’s punting abilities were particularly noteworthy during his university career. Of his 255 collegiate punts, 53 pinned opponents inside their own 20-yard line, while 49 traveled distances of 50 yards or more.
This signing comes after Hodge initially entered the professional ranks as an undrafted free agent with the Toronto Argonauts in May, where he participated in their training camp before becoming available.
