Nicholas Dheilly (born October 21, 1997) is a Canadian former professional football defensive end who played in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played U Sports football at Regina and Saskatchewan and was selected in the fifth round (46th overall) of the 2020 CFL Draft by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
| No. 96 | |
| Born: | October 21, 1997 Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada |
|---|---|
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Defensive end |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) |
| Weight | 226 lb (103 kg) |
| University | Regina (2016–2017) Saskatchewan (2019) |
| High school | Dr. Martin LeBoldus (SK) |
| CFL draft | 2020, round: 5, pick: 46 |
| Drafted by | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 2020–2021 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| 2021–2024 | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| Career stats | |
| |
Early life
editDheilly was born on October 21, 1997, in Regina, Saskatchewan.[1] His brother Dominique also played football.[2] He attended Dr. Martin LeBoldus High School and helped them win three consecutive Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association 4A championships.[3] He also played for Team Saskatchewan at the Football Canada Cup and was a member of the Canada national junior football team.[3] A highly-recruited prospect, he committed to play U Sports football for the Regina Rams after flipping his commitment from the Saskatchewan Huskies.[4]
Amateur career
editIn his debut for the Rams, Dheilly tied the school's single-game sack record with three.[3] He finished the season with 30 tackles, four sacks and an interception, being named the Canada West Universities Athletic Association Rookie of the Year.[5] The following season, he earned league all-star honors after posting 26 defensive tackles and 6.5 sacks.[5] Dheilly left the Rams in 2018 for the Okanagan Sun of the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL), recording eight sacks on his way to being named a conference all-star.[5]
In 2019, Dheilly returned to U Sports football by committing to the Saskatchewan Huskies, for which he had initially decided to play with in 2016 before changing his mind.[4] In one season there, he tallied 24 defensive tackles, a team-leading 9.5 TFLs and six sacks, as well as one interception.[5][6] He was named a Canada West All-Star for his performance.[6] Despite having two years of eligibility left, Dheilly opted to declare for the 2020 CFL Draft.[5]
Professional career
editDheilly was selected in the fifth round (46th overall) of the 2020 CFL Draft by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers; the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7][8] He made the team in 2021 and played in four regular season games, recording one tackle on special teams.[9] He was released on November 1.[10]
On November 11, Dheilly was signed by the Saskatchewan Roughriders and was placed on the suspended list.[11] He appeared in no games for the Roughriders in 2021.[12] He was re-signed after the season on December 14.[13] He made the final roster for 2022.[14] Dheilly appeared in seven games during the 2022 season, posting three total tackles before being sidelined by an injury.[12][15] He returned and made the team for the 2023 season.[16] He announced his retirement on August 1, 2024.[17]
References
edit- ^ "Nicholas Dheilly". Canadian Football League. Archived from the original on June 16, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ^ Mitchell, Kevin (September 13, 2019). "Family dynamics at play as Rams battle Huskies". Star-Phoenix. p. B2. Archived from the original on July 3, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c Hamilton, Ian (September 28, 2016). "U of R Rams' defensive end debuts by tying school record". The Leader-Post. p. 10. Archived from the original on July 3, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Mitchell, Kevin (August 14, 2019). "Dheilly takes a few turns on way back to Huskies". The Leader-Post. p. B2. Archived from the original on July 3, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e McCormick, Murray (May 1, 2020). "Huskies' Dheilly focused on realizing pro dream". Star-Phoenix. p. A10. Archived from the original on July 3, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Big night for Huskies football in CFL draft". University of Saskatchewan. May 1, 2020. Archived from the original on June 16, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ^ Hodge, John (May 1, 2020). "Grading every pick in the 2020 CFL draft". 3DownNation.com. Archived from the original on June 16, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ^ Seifert, Kevin (August 17, 2020). "CFL cancels 2020 season, citing financial losses". ESPN. Archived from the original on June 16, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ^ McCormick, Murray (May 13, 2022). "Former Huskie Dheilly feels at home at Griffiths Stadium". The Leader-Post. p. A7. Archived from the original on July 3, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Blue Bombers release six from practice roster as they return from bye week". 3DownNation.com. November 1, 2021. Archived from the original on June 16, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ^ Piller, Thomas (November 11, 2021). "Regina native Nicholas Dheilly signed by Saskatchewan Roughriders". Global News. Archived from the original on June 16, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ^ a b "Nick Dheilly Stats". Pro Football Archives. Archived from the original on June 16, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ^ "Roughriders sign seven players, including Regina native Nicholas Dheilly". 3DownNation.com. December 14, 2021. Archived from the original on June 16, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ^ Shire, Taylor (June 7, 2022). "Regina's Nicholas Dheilly earns spot on hometown Roughriders". Global News. Archived from the original on June 16, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ^ Weyland, Blaine (May 18, 2023). "Nicholas Dheilly and Charbel Dabire are "D"-lighted to be members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders". CKRM. Archived from the original on May 19, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ^ Shire, Taylor (June 4, 2023). "Roughriders announce final cuts with 54 players making active roster". The Leader-Post. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ^ ""THEY'LL ALWAYS BE MY BROTHERS": COUNCIL RETURNS TO ROUGHRIDERS". riderville.com. August 1, 2024. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
