It was a different kind of pick generating plenty of discussion Friday as the Saskatchewan Roughriders wrapped up rookie camp in Saskatoon.
Newcomer defensive back JuJu Hughes was noticed not just for his on-field performance but for doing so with a toothpick in his mouth throughout practice.
“Originally it was to help me stop biting my nails. It worked for like two weeks,” the 27-year-old told reporters with a laugh. “Still bite my nails to this day. But kinda just became my thing. People got used to me having it. Been doing it since I was a sophomore in high school so it’s been a little while now.”
A veteran of 26 regular season games over three National Football League seasons (2020-22) with the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions, Hughes signed with the Riders in March and turned heads this week with his play as well.
“He’s made a bunch of plays all over the field. Every day he’s pretty much touched the ball and then you parlay that with the film of which you know what he looks like with pads on in games and you get excited for those kind of things,” head coach Corey Mace told media after practice.
For his NFL career, Hughes registered 26 tackles, two tackles for a loss and one sack. In 2023 he attended Arizona Cardinals training camp before spending time with the United Football League’s Birmingham Stallions in 2024 and 2025.
“He’s been excellent in communication since the first day of practice, conducting from different positions where naturally you don’t expect communication to come from,” Mace continued. “He’s not going to bite his tongue just to get everybody on the same page. You love that. You love to see that.
“He’s played a couple for us, a couple different positions. I’m sure we’ll try him at more to see what’s most comfortable for him but I don’t think it’s a playbook thing that’s going to overload the kid too much. He seems to be picking it up pretty fast.”
Hughes learned just how fast he had to be on the first day of practice, adjusting to the larger size of the Canadian football field.
“Just looking at it you don’t really notice it. It’s when you start running sideline to sideline, getting to that ball, long throw from one hash to the other sideline, that’s when you kind of get that feeling,” he said. “First day your legs gonna feel it. You’re running around out there, it’s not normal. Those extra 13 yards or whatever it is wide (compared to an American football field), they all add up and you feel it a little bit.”
But he said part of his quick adjustment to the Canadian game also came from having former teammates in the Roughriders’ fold – players like Antoine Brooks Jr., Jerry Jacobs, KeeSean Johnson and even linebackers coach Travis Brown, who was on the Fresno State Bulldogs’ staff during Hughes’ time playing collegiate ball there.
“He asked how I could get so comfortable and adapt so quick. It’s easier when you got some familiar faces to talk you through it and what to expect and things like that,” said Hughes.
