YORKTON - Langenburg’s Noah Zerr has signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
“It was something my family were definitely thinking about the last couple of years,” the offensive lineman told Yorkton This Week, adding the recent offer “just felt like the right situation had come up.
“It’s a dream come true.”
Zerr played with the Yorkton Regional High School Raider Gridders and then the University of Saskatchewan Huskies (2016-2021). He played in 41 college games, primarily at left tackle, and helped the Huskies win the Hardy Cup and the Uteck Bowl in 2021. The 25-year-old also earned U Sports First-Team All-Canadian and Canada West All-Star honours in 2021, in addition to being named the Huskies top lineman of the year.
In 2022, Zerr was taken in the second round, 12th overall by the B.C. Lions in the CFL draft. He dressed for four games in his rookie season.
As for the draft, in a 2022 YTW interview Zerr said it was another step on a journey in football, a step he did get to share with family.
“I came back home (to Langenburg),” he said, adding his parents put a brisket on the barbecue, and they waited out the draft.
“By the time I got picked there was probably 35 in the house,” he said, adding it was great to “share the special moment” with neighbours, friends and family.
Zerr (6’7-330) spent the 2023 season with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, dressing for three games.
So far Zerr has been a bit of a CFL traveller as the Roughriders are his third team since the 2022 draft.
Looking back he admitted “my first year was a bit of a challenge,” adding the jump from college football to the CFL is a big one.
Zerr said it did help in terms of the transition that Huskies coach Scott Flory runs a program that mimics the CFL in many ways.
So what about the move to the Roughriders in terms of learning the systems of a third team in three seasons?
Zerr said he expects that part will go smoothly, especially as he gets to learn ‘Rider schemes through training camp, which is his focus already.
“It’s a brand new situation,” he said, adding camp will be his opportunity “to see if I can carve out a roster spot.”
That has actually been a long time dream for Zerr, who said as a youngster used to cut out newspaper clippings of Roughrider quarterback Darian Durant and receiver Weston Dressler.
With that long connection Zerr said his parents were of course happy to learn he had signed.
“My mom had a few tears,” he said.
Zerr likened the opportunity to play in Regina as being “like going to my favourite bar,” adding it will feel very much like being home.
But, will that only add to the pressure knowing family and friends are in the stands?
“At the end of the day pressure is a privilege. . . It’s just privilege to have the best job in the world,” said Zerr.
