Toronto Argonauts sign Boatman, Powers and Richardson

The Toronto Argonauts Football Club is thrilled to announce that import OT Shannon Boatman has avoided free agency and re-signed with the club. The Argos also introduced imports WR Drameagon Powers and DB Matterral Richardson to the roster.

Boatman’s time with the Argonauts has been more than just coincidental given his surname. A talented 26-year old from Texas, he joined the team in 2009 as a free agent and has started in five games at both left and right tackle. The Florida State product is versatile and played both guard and tackle in college.

Drameagon Powers is a tough Texan receiver who was named Second-Team All-Conference in his senior season at Washburn University. With career totals of 100 catches for 1,666 yards and 16 touchdowns, the 23-year old from Elkhart returned to school last season and completed the final year of his degree.
Matterral Richardson joins the Argos after attending training camp with the NFL’s Cleveland Browns. He was a four-year letterman, and named a team captain as a senior while at Arkansas. His strong cover skills ranked Richardson second on the Razorbacks with 10 pass knock downs as a junior.

Shannon Boatman #63
Offensive Lineman
6’6", 320 lbs.
Florida State
Born: November 24, 1984
Beaumont, Texas
3rd Year Argos/ 3rd Year CFL
Import
Acquired: Re-signed with Toronto on February 4, 2011.

2010: Dressed in five (5) regular season games, all starts at both left and right tackle, for the Argos… Dressed in both pre-season games at LT…Recorded 2 own team fumble recoveries…Weeks 1-2, Added to 46-man active roster but did not dress…Week 3, Made first career start (14/07/10) at RT in place of injured starter Chris Van Zeyl and didn’t allow a sack in win vs. Calgary…Week 4, Started at RT in win vs. B.C…Week 5, Started at RT in loss at Montreal…Weeks 6-9, Added to 46-man active roster but did not dress…Week 10, Started at RT in place of injured starter Chris Van Zeyl in loss at B.C…Week 11, Started at LT in win vs. Winnipeg…Replaced injured starter Rob Murphy…Weeks 12-18, On 46-man active roster but did not dress…2010 Playoffs On 46-man roster but did not dress in Eastern Semi-Final win at Hamilton or Eastern Final loss at Montreal.

2009: Signed as a free agent with Toronto on February 13…Was not active in any regular season games… Weeks 1-7, On 46-man roster but did not dress…Weeks 8-17, Assigned to practice roster…Week 18, Added to 46-man active roster but did not dress in loss vs. Montreal.

2008: Signed as a free agent with the Washington Redskins (NFL) and released before training camp.

College: Started every game that FSU rushed for 100 or more yards and gained 400 or more yards in total offence…2007 Started all but one game after switching from tackle to guard…2006 Started every game except one and played in all 13 games…Junior College (Tyler J.C.) Played two seasons (2004-05)…Earned First-Team All-American honours as a sophomore at Tyler Junior College… Ranked #4 junior college offensive lineman in the nation by Rivals.com…Named First-Team All-Conference both seasons.

Personal: Shannon has a young family that he enjoys spending most of his spare time with. Shannon is a substitute teacher in Beaumont, Texas during the off-season. A middle child in his family, with an older brother named Anthony and a younger sister named Khandesei, he spends the off-season in Beaumont where he trains with former NFL’er Frank Middleton. Shannon enjoys playing basketball, working out and playing Madden video games. He likes horror films and insists, ‘the scarier the better’. Shannon has a degree in Social Sciences from Florida State and an Associate’s Degree in Business Finance & Marketing from Tyler Junior College. Shannon had type 1 diabetes growing up and has now been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes as an adult.

Drameagon Powers
Receiver
6’2", 203 lbs.
Washburn
Born: August 1, 1987
Dallas, Texas
1st Year Argos / 1st Year CFL
Import

Acquired: Signed as a free agent in Toronto on February 4, 2011.

2010: Did not play football.

College: Played four years at Washburn (2006-09)…Caught for career totals of 100 catches for 1,666 yards and 16 TDs…2009 Named Second-Team All-Conference at receiver as a senior…42 catches for 758 yards and 6 TDs…2008 Played 11 games…Caught 37 passes for 590 yards and 5 TDs…2007 Played 11 games…Caught 16 passes for 259 yards and 5 TDs…2006 Played in six games as a freshman…Caught 5 passes for 59 yards

Personal: Drameagon (PRO: DRAW-MAY-GAN) was born in Dallas but grew up in Elkhart, Texas. He enjoys spending time with family, training, playing basketball and playing videogames. He has a 2-year old daughter named Laila and he recently completed his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Washburn University.

Matterral Richardson
Defensive Back
6’0", 197 lbs.
Arkansas
Born: June 30, 1985
Marlin, Texas
1st Year Argos / 1st Year CFL
Import

Acquired: Signed with Toronto as a free agent on February 4, 2011.

2010: Released by the Cleveland Browns as a final training camp cut.

2009: Signed as a free agent with the New York Sentinels (UFL)…Released by New York and signed with the Cleveland Browns (NFL) and remained there for duration of the season.

2008: Signed with the Washington Redskins (NFL) as a free agent…Attended training camp and returned an interception for a touchdown during a pre-season game vs. Indianapolis…Added to the club’s practice squad in September…Claimed of Washington’s PR by the Houston Texans (NFL) on November 26…Remained with Houston for duration of the season and released.

College: Played four seasons at Arkansas (2004-07)…Played in 49 games with 36 starts…Four-year letter winner at Arkansas…2007 Named team captain…Made three interceptions for 10 yards and recovered one fumble as a senior…2006 Started 14 games and made 63 tackles and forced one fumble…Had 1 INT for 45 yards and ranked second on the team with 10 pass knock downs…2005 Played in all 11 games…Started seasons as starting safety before moving to CB…Made 44 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss (-11), one sack (-10) and six pass knock downs…2004 Played 10 games on ST and backup CB as a freshman…Made 13 tackles.

Personal: Matterral (pro: MATT-TAIR-UHL) was a sociology major in college and attended Marlin H.S. His nickname is ‘Red’ and his mom is Sherrell Allen.