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Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Blue Bombers Add Four to Roster

March 28, 2014 - Canadian Football League (CFL)
Winnipeg Blue Bombers News Release


WINNIPEG, MB., March 28, 2014 - The Winnipeg Blue Bombers announce today the club has added import wide receivers Austin Coleman and Michael Ray Garvin, import linebacker Gerald McRath, and import defensive end Damario Jeffery.

Coleman is a 5-8, 180 pound receiver/kick returner, and played four seasons at St. Francis University (NAIA) from 2009 to 2012. He played 45 games in his collegiate career, grabbing 117 passes for 1,875 yards and 21 TDs. His eight kickoff return touchdowns is an all-time NAIA record. He averaged 32.1 yards per return, which also is a Division record, and twice returned kicks for 100+ yards. He went undrafted in 2013 and was signed by the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. After their acquisition of Percy Harvin, Coleman was released and moved on to play for the Saginaw Sting of the Continental Indoor Football League. With Saginaw, he has had 12 receptions for 108 yards and 4 TDs.

Garvin is a 5-8, 198 pound kick returner/receiver. He played four seasons at Florida State and a total of 47 games. Garvin also doubled as a cornerback on defence but was primarily an important kickoff returner for the Seminoles, leading the team in 2006. His finest college season came in 2008 when he became the only player in school history to average more than 30 yards per attempt. He was second in the nation in kickoff returns and was named to the All-Conference Second Team, and an All-American by Sporting News and SI.com. His 1,721 career kickoff return yards remains a school record. Garvin went undrafted in 2009 but signed immediately with the Arizona Cardinals where he was converted to wide receiver. Failing to catch on in Arizona, Michael Ray moved on to the Detroit Lions Practice Squad in 2010. He has also played for the Las Vegas Locomotives and Texas Revolution.

McRath is a 6-3, 230 pound linebacker who played in the NFL from 2010 to 2011 and a total 40 games for the Tennessee Titans. Spent the 2012 season with the Titans but did not play due to a knee injury. Across his three active years, McRath made 79 solo tackles and assisted on 33 others, to go with 1.5 sacks and one interception. He started 12 NFL games in 2009 and 2010 before moving to special team duties in 2011. McRath's career-best performance came on October 31, 2010 when he recorded 10 tackles against the San Diego Chargers, and in 2010 had four game with five or more stops. McRath was selected by Tennessee in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft (#130 overall) after a three-year career at Southern Mississippi. He was twice named to the All-Conference USA First Team (2007-2008).

Jeffery is a 6-3, 240 pound pass rushing defensive end. Damario played four seasons at South Carolina and a total of 50 games with five starts. Jeffery was born in Columbia, South Carolina - the home of the Gamecocks - and stayed at home to play SEC football. He also played spur linebacker and compiled 77 tackles. He was a key contributor on special teams throughout his college career with South Carolina. He played in the 2010 Chick-Fil-A Bowl game for South Carolina against Florida State and logged four tackles. Jeffery went undrafted in 2013 and was immediately signed by the Carolina Panthers in April 2013.

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