Riders Add Two on Defence
CFL Saskatchewan Roughriders

Riders Add Two on Defence

Published on January 5, 2026 under Canadian Football League (CFL)
Saskatchewan Roughriders News Release


The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed American defensive back Garnett Hollis Jr. and American defensive lineman Jaylen Pate. Pate and Hollis Jr. were teammates at Northwestern in 2022 and 2023.

Hollis Jr. (6'1-199) had NFL tryouts with the Tennessee Titans, Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills after appearing in the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl. As a graduating player at West Virginia in 2024, he recorded 46 total tackles (one for a loss), six pass deflections and one fumble recovery in 13 games. He had a 4.51-second 40-yard dash, a 36-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-5-inch broad jump at the Big 12 Pro Day in March of 2025.

While at Northwestern from 2020 to 2023, the Tennessee-born Hollis Jr. received most of his playing time over the final two seasons. Over that span he played 21 games earning 73 defensive tackles, two interceptions, eight pass deflections, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

Pate (6'3-272) spent three collegiate seasons (2022-24) at Northwestern, registering 55 total tackles (nine for a loss), three sacks, one forced fumble and one pass deflection in 33 games. He tallied three sacks in 2023 and five tackles for a loss in 2024. At Northwestern's Pro Day in March of 2025, he registered a 36-inch vertical jump, a 10-foot-3-inch broad jump and an unofficial time of 4.8 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

The Chicago-born Pate debuted in college football with Wyoming in 2020. He made seven tackles (one for a loss) and one sack in six games after redshirting the previous year.

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Canadian Football League Stories from January 5, 2026


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