Riders sign American DB Antoine Brooks Jr.
REGINA — The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed American defensive back Antoine Brooks Jr., the team announced on Thursday.
Brooks Jr. (five-foot-11, 220 pounds) was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round, 198th overall, of the 2020 NFL Draft. He went on to play four regular season games for the Steelers that season, before signing with the Los Angeles Rams in September 2021.
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He suited up for eight games as a Ram in 2021, becoming a Superbowl Champion when the Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20. He played one season with the XFL’s Seattle Sea Dragons, tallying 28 tackles and two sacks in 2023.
Collegiately, Brooks Jr. played four collegiate seasons (2016-2019) at the University of Maryland. He started 35 of his 40 games played as a Terrapin, earning 237 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, four sacks, four interceptions, nine pass deflections, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He was a three-time All-Big 10 selection including an honourable mention in 2017, as well as two second team selections in 2018 and 2019.
As a senior, he was named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watchlist, which is awarded to the best defensive player in the NCAA, and was the Terrapin’s MVP. The Maryland native also led Big Ten and was ninth in country, after averaging 5.8 solo tackles per game. In addition, in 2017, his first year as a starter, Brooks Jr. led Big Ten in tackles for loss by a defensive back in regular season with 9.5.
