Argonauts.ca staff
TORONTO – The final position up for examination is the receiving corps. Led by one of the league’s best, the Argos are hoping that a young mix of nationals and internationals will give Toronto’s pivots plenty of open targets in 2015.
SB Chad Owens enters the season looking to continue an active of three seasons with over 900 receiving yards. A favourite target of starting quarterback Ricky Ray, Owens has recorded at least 70 catches in the last four seasons and is considered by most around the league to be one of, if not the best at his position in the CFL right now. For his career, Owens has totalled 23 touchdowns, and broken numerous Argonauts and CFL records, including Michael “Pinball” Clemons’ record for all-purpose yards in a season; a record Owens now holds with 3,863 yards in 2012. The Flyin’ Hawaiian is also a four time CFL All-Star, and was awarded the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player Award in 2012.
National Andre Durie is another veteran SB returning to the Argonauts offence in 2015, looking to forget an injury-plagued 2014 campaign. Durie only played in four regular season games last season, suffering injuries in Week 3 and Week 14 which resulted in two stints on the six-game injured list. When he was healthy, Durie was productive, averaging over 50 receiving yards per game, and scoring a touchdown. In his last full season in 2013, the York University grad totalled over 1,000 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns, and the Argos will be looking for a healthy, productive season out of the 10-year vet in 2015.
Fellow Canadian Natey Adjei returns for his sophomore season with the Argos, looking for an increased role in Toronto’s offence. The University of Buffalo alumnus caught five passes in 2014 playing in a limited capacity in his rookie season with Toronto. With the departure of Canadian Mike Bradwell in the 2014 offseason, the Argonauts are looking for his replacement, and Adjei could cement a starting role with a strong training camp.
Also looking to fill the Mike Bradwell void are Canadians Matthew Norzil and Kevin Bradfield, selected in the fourth and seventh rounds of the 2015 CFL Draft, respectively. Norzil played four years at Laval, but was limited by injuries in his junior and senior seasons. As a sophomore in 2012, Norzil played in all eight regular season games and one postseason game, leading the Rouge et Or with 34 catches for 548 yards and six touchdowns through the air, while adding 116 rushing yards en route to being named an RSEQ All-Star. Bradfield played every game in four years at Toronto, twice being named a First-Team All-Canadian and First-Team OUA All-Star in his junior and senior seasons. Bradfield finished his career at Toronto with school records for punt returns (120) and punt return yards (1,287).
Aaron Kelly and Kierrie Johnson are two CFL veterans hoping to latch on with the Argos and continue their careers. Kelly comes to Toronto after two seasons in Winnipeg, where he totalled 870 receiving yards and three touchdowns in two seasons with the Blue Bombers. Prior to joining Winnipeg, Kelly spent two seasons in Hamilton. Kierrie Johnson enters his fifth year in the CFL, spending the last four years between the B.C. Lions, Saskatchewan Roughriders and expansion Ottawa REDBLACKS. The former Houston Cougar has totalled 54 catches and 747 receiving yards in his CFL career.
The Argos have additionally brought in a slew of international CFL rookies to challenge for several open spots in the offence.
Kashif Moore was signed by the Argonauts on October 16, 2014, and spent the final month of the season on the practice roster. Moore spent four years at Connecticut, where he totalled over 1,500 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns for the Huskies.
Kevin Elliott spent three seasons in the NFL after a stellar five year career at Florida A&M. As a freshman at A&M, Elliott recorded career highs with 58 catches for 817 yards and seven touchdowns, and finished his career totalling over 2,500 receiving yards and 20 scores. Elliott also spent the 2014 season in the Fall Experimental Football League, where he was named an FXFL All-Star with the Brooklyn Bolts.
Another FXFL veteran is Vidal Hazelton, who spent the 2014 season with the Boston Brawlers facing off against Elliott. Hazelton spent three years at USC, and had his most successful season as a sophomore, catching 50 passes for 540 yards and four touchdowns while helping the Trojans to a Rose Bowl victory over the Michigan Wolverines. Hazelton also spent time in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers, Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans, and New York Jets.
Ronald Johnson was a teammate of Hazelton’s at USC for two of his four years there, playing at receiver and kick returner. Johnson played in a limited role as a true freshman but exploded as a sophomore, catching 33 balls for 570 yards and a career-high eight touchdowns. Johnson was also the star of the 2009 Rose Bowl, recording four catches for 82 yards and two touchdowns in a victory over Penn State. Johnson was drafted in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers, and also spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle Seahawks.
Kenny Shaw spent four years at Florida State, where he finished in the top 20 in school history for career receiving yards and receptions. Shaw scored at least one touchdown in each of his years at FSU and was an integral part of the team’s run to a BCS National Champion in 2013, recording 54 catches for 933 and six touchdowns in his senior season.
Diontae Spencer spent four years at McNeese State, where he played as a utility knife for the Cowboys. Spencer rushed from the backfield, returned kicks, played at receiver and even threw a 46-yard touchdown pass. For his career, Spencer recorded 19 total touchdowns and over 2,500 all-purpose yards. After college, Spencer spent 2014 NFL training camp with the St. Louis Rams.
Finally, a couple of big targets added mid-camp round out the Argonauts depth at receiver. Brandon Terry spent five years at Wake Forest, where the six-foot-five Georgia native recorded 23 catches for 391 yards and a touchdown. Tori Gurley joins the Argos after playing three seasons at South Carolina after a year at New Hampton Prep. Gurley recorded 76 receptions for 910 yards and six touchdowns with the Gamecocks, before spending time in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, and others.