Former Bison WR Burrell Signs With CFL's Ottawa Renagades, Picked Up By Saskatchewan
4/17/2006 5:00:00 AM | Football
The brief professional football career of former North Dakota State University wide receiver and sprinter Allen Burrell has already taken several turns.
Burrell said he signed a four-year contract with the Ottawa Renagades of the Canadian Football League during the first week of April. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.
However, the Renagades ceased operations on April 9. On April 12, Burrell was picked in the seventh round by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Ottawa Player Dispersal Draft conducted by the CFL. He said the Saskatchewan organization will honor the terms of the Ottawa contract.
Burrell, who graduated from NDSU with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice in 2005, returned home to Englewood, Colorado, last weekend to begin workouts before reporting to the Roughriders training camp in mid-May. He is working out twice a day from 6-9:30 a.m. and 3-5 p.m. with Junior Olympic track and field coach Bill Edwards to improve his speed during the afternoon session.
Following an ankle injury that slowed his senior year for NDSU in 2004, all Burrell is looking for is a shot at playing professional football.
"I admit that I've missed it. I miss playing the game. It was tough to watch from the sidelines last season," said Burrell, who went to an Ottawa Renagades tryout after his father saw an advertisement in a Denver newspaper.
"I've never wanted to give up my dream, and my mom, dad and brother have kept me going, kept me believing."
Burrell led North Dakota State in receiving with 56 receptions for 570 yards and four touchdowns as a junior in 2003. He had to endure the frustration of a high ankle sprain that kept him sidelined for two games his senior season. The 2004 season did start on a positive note, returning a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown against Carson-Newman and catching a 36-yard TD pass in the 24-14 win at Nicholls State.
In the 2005 spring, Burrell finished first in both the 100 (10.5) and 200 (21.15) meters at the Division I independent outdoor track and field championships in Davis, Calif. He was one of the team leaders as the Bison men captured the program's first championship as an NCAA Division I independent.
However, a shot at professional football didn't materialize.
"I was frustrated a little bit after things didn't work out last year," said Burrell, who was a five-time NCAA Division II All-American in track and field at NDSU. He was also six-time NCC outdoor track and field champion.
"I'm going in there with the attitude and the intentions of winning a job. I want to work hard and establish myself."
Burrell is looking to become the first player since linebacker Joe Toth to play in the Canadian Football League. Toth played for Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1995-96. Former linebacker Leif Murphy signed with Ottawa in 2002. Harlon Hill winner Jeff Bentrim (1987-90) and Mike McTague also played in Saskatchewan from 1986-87. Bentrim led the Roughriders to the 1989 Grey Cup.
Three former NDSU players are currently on NFL Europe rosters. Offensive guard Isaac Snell (New York Jets) is playing for the Frankfurt Galaxy, center Rob Hunt (Denver Broncos) is with the Rhein Fire and offensive tackle Jared Peck (Carolina Panthers) is playing for the Cologne Centurions. Snell is starting at left guard for the Galaxy, Hunt is the backup at center for the Fire, and Peck is listed as the starter at right tackle for the Centurions.
