KELOWNA, B.C. – It’s unheard of for a player to end up in the Canadian Junior Football League after being cut from an NFL training camp, but that’s where Rashaun Simonise landed after being recruited by the Okanagan Sun.
Simonise is a graduate of Vancouver College and spent three years with the University of Calgary Dinos, racking up 1,079 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in eight games last fall as a wide receiver.
After failing to meet academic requirements for his fourth year, the 21-year-old applied for the NFL Supplemental Draft.
He went undrafted, but the Cincinnati Bengals signed him as a free agent.
But that opportunity recently came to an end when the Bengals made cuts to finalize their roster.
“My goal is just trying to get back there,” Simonise said.
The 6′ 5″, 200-pound Vancouverite is a welcome new resource for the Kelowna-based team.
“He’s a professional and he plays like that,” Okanagan Sun General Manager Jay Christensen said.
Simonise arrived in Kelowna to join the Sun Tuesday afternoon, immediately hitting the turf for practice with the team.
“Is just a great franchise; the players are great, the coaches are great, they bring a lot to the table, so it looks like we’ll have a lot of fun on the field,” Simonise said.
“We’re excited to see what kind of energy and what kind of work ethic he’s picked up from various stops he’s made,” said Head Coach Ben Macauley.
Simonise is expected to be a top-15 prospect for the 2017 CFL Draft as well.
The Sun expect they’ll need his energy when they have a rematch of the 2015 Canadian Bowl against the 4 and 1 Saskatoon Hilltops on Saturday at the Kelowna Apple Bowl.
Last November, the Hilltops took their 18th national title with a 38-24 win over the Okanagan Sun.
“We’re going to have to do a good job of blocking [Simonise] up and give him some opportunities and I think he’s going to score this week.”
Simonise said he’s looking to give his teammates a boost and share skills he learned in the NFL.
“It’s really all about the fundamentals and how to tweak them to get even more natural when you do it,” he said. “You know, it’s just little tricks of the trade, little stuff that the pros use to get a little edge on everything. I feel I learned enough that I can come back and translate it to the guys.”
“Everywhere we’re playing it’s always the same goal of trying to get better each and every day and elevate the game around me.”
The Hilltops and Sun meet at 7 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Kelowna Apple Bowl.
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