Former Hornet Bertrand-Hudon Drafted by CFL’s Roughriders
COURTESY OF DSU HORNETS
Dover, Del. — Former Delaware State running back Thomas Bertrand-Hudon is the latest Hornet to earn a shot at professional football north of the border. Bertrand-Hudon, a native of Mont Saint-Halaire, Quebec, was selected as the 30th overall pick in the fourth round by the Canadian Football League’s Saskatchewan Roughriders this week. He played in 27 games over four seasons at Delaware State, tallying 1,016 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns for the Hornets. In 2019, Bertrand-Hudon was DSU’s leader and sixth in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference at 56.6 rushing yards per game (509 total), and scored a team-high five rushing touchdowns. That season, he topped the 100-yard rushing mark in three straight games, the first Hornet to accomplish the feat since 2006. This past season, in his final Delaware State game at Alumni Stadium, Bertrand-Hudon rushed for a career-best 139 yards and a touchdown vs. Campbell University.
He will be joined by a familiar in Saskatchewan. The Roughriders this week also announced the signing of former Delaware State offensive lineman Matthew Derks, who previously competed for the CFL’s Ottawa Redblacks after being drafted by the team in 2021. Derks is a native of Brantford, Ontario.
Delaware State has historically tapped the Canadian market for talent over the years. Among the most notable are running back Dean Noel (Ottawa; 1991-92) and offensive lineman Thane Watkins (Toronto; 1990-93), each of whom competed in the Canadian Football League (CFL) following their Hornet careers.
Several other former Delaware State standouts also experienced professional success north of the border. In addition to Noel and Watkins, running backs Reggie Barnes and Emmanuel Marc, linebacker Leroy Thompson, defensive lineman Lybrant Robinson, safety Brian Randall and wide receiver Tim Egerton competed professionally in the CFL.