Belton, TX- University of Mary Hardin-Baylor linebacker Jerrell Freeman will become the first Cru football player to get a shot at the Canadian Football League after Freeman signed a free-agent deal with the Saskatchewan Roughriders this week. Freeman spent last fall as a student assistant coach for the Cru football program after a pair of training camp stints with the Tennessee Titans. Freeman was one of the last players released by the Titans last fall.
Freeman was a four-year letterman for the Cru from Waco University High School. He capped his career by being named D3football.com Defensive Player of the Year as a senior and he was named All-American by three different publications as a senior. Freeman also finished his career as UMHB's all-time leader in tackles and was a three-time American Southwest Conference All-Conference selection. Freeman led the UMHB defense with 112 total tackles and added 18.5 tackles for loss as a senior in 2007. He also posted 6.0 sacks, broke up seven passes, forced three fumbles and blocked a punt that he also returned for a touchdown. Freeman led a Cru defense that gave up just 16.2 points, 48.7 yards rushing, 223.8 yards passing and 272.5 yards of total offense per game. The Cru defense also set school records by forcing 54 turnovers and posting 55 sacks on the year. Freeman was named American Southwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year and also earned ASC First Team All-Conference honors.
"We are so excited that Jerrell will get a chance to go into the CFL," Cru head coach
Pete Fredenburg said. "This also gives us a great opportunity to think about all the things that he contributed to our program during his four years here."
Freeman also became the first UMHB football player to sign an NFL contract when he inked a free-agent deal with the Titans shortly after the NFL player draft last spring. The Roughriders will play their first preseason game on June 17th and Saskatchewan will open the 2009 season on July 3rd.
