THE CANADIAN PRESS
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — KR/WR Steven Turner has realized a childhood dream.
The speedy kick returner signed with the Toronto Argonauts on Friday after being selected in the fourth round of the 2010 CFL Canadian college draft by the club. The five-foot-nine, 185-pound Turner grew up a diehard Argos fan in Brampton, Ont., and dreamed of one day donning the Double Blue.
“It couldn’t have worked out any better,” Turner said. “It’s a dream come true to get to play for your hometown team.
“It couldn’t have worked out any better…It’s a dream come true to get to play for your hometown team. Growing up I always wanted to be with the Argos so this is a really good opportunity.”
“Growing up I always wanted to be with the Argos so this is a really good opportunity.”
Turner made headlines in March at the CFL’s evaluation camp he ran a blistering 40-yard dash time of 4.31 seconds, shattering the mark of 4.39 seconds set last year by former Gaiters star Jamall Lee.
He also posted a vertical leap of 43.5 inches, finishing just a half-inch shy of Lee’s record 44-inch jump last year. And Turner’s time of 4.03 seconds was tops in the shuttle.
Turner, who played collegiately at Bishop’s, was a special-teams dynamo last year. He was Canadian university football’s top punt returner, averaging a stellar 20.4 yards per return while taking two back for touchdowns. Turner also had 11 receptions for 207 yards and one TD.
Turner was twice named a Quebec division all-star as a kick returner and registered six career touchdowns on both kickoff and punt returns during his university career.
Turner finished with 2,379 career all-purpose yards at Bishop’s and also registered 37 catches for 516 yards.
After being drafted by Toronto, Turner added a mini-camp with the NFL’s Chicago Bears.
Turner will certainly fill a need in Toronto, which is looking for a kick-returner with the off-season departure of veteran Dominique Dorsey. But the 23-year-old isn’t taking anything for granted.
“Nothing is guaranteed or set in stone,” he said. “As a player I’ve always thought hard work is worth everything and so all I’m going to do is go out and work hard and see what happens.
“It’s good to know as a rookie there’s a chance for you to step in and play right away. But it’s a little nerve-wracking as the same time because there’s a real big difference playing in the CFL compared to the CIS.”
However, Turner likes the idea of his family being close enough to come watch him play more often as an Argo than during his days at Bishop’s.
“My family is really excited to watch me play more than they have in the past,” he said.
The opportunity to play professionally close to home with the team he cheered for as a youth has Turner anxious for the start of training camp next month.
“I’ve been looking forward to this ever since I was born,” he said with a chuckle. “I can’t wait to see what happens.”