Riley Pickett

Riley Pickett
Pickett with the BC Lions in 2026
No. 45 – BC Lions
PositionsFullback, long snapper
Roster status
 1-game injured list
CFL status
National
Personal information
Born (1997-10-05) October 5, 1997 (age 29)
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Listed height
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight
250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
High schoolCentennial Collegiate
Saskatoon Hilltops
UniversitySaskatchewan Huskies
CFL draft2022: 5th round, 41st overall pick
Career history
2022–presentBC Lions
Awards and highlights
Stats at CFL.ca

Riley Pickett (born October 5, 1997) is a Canadian professional football fullback and long snapper for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

Junior career

Pickett played for the Saskatoon Hilltops of the Canadian Junior Football League from 2015 to 2017. He won a Canadian Bowl championship in each of his three seasons with the Hilltops and was named the PFC Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2017 along with First Team All-Canadian Honours. He played in 29 games where he recorded 38 tackles, 24 assisted tackles, 16 special teams tackles, 15 sacks, 1 punt block, and two forced fumbles.

University career

Pickett later joined the Saskatchewan Huskies of U Sports football and played for the team from 2018 to 2021. He played in 30 games where he had 110 total tackles, 14.5 sacks, 21 tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. He won two Hardy Cup championships with the Huskies, in 2018 and 2021.

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeight40-yard dash20-yard shuttleThree-cone drillVertical jumpBroad jumpBench press
6 ft 3+3⁄8 in
(1.91 m)		249 lb
(113 kg)		4.90 s4.63 s7.50 s34.5 in
(0.88 m)		9 ft 2 in
(2.79 m)		26 reps
All values from CFL Combine

Pickett was drafted in the fifth round, 41st overall, by the BC Lions in the 2022 CFL draft and signed with the team on May 11, 2022. He played in ten games in 2022, where he had one defensive tackle and two special teams tackles.

During his 2022 exit interview with the team's co-general manager, Neil McEvoy, it was suggested that Pickett practice long snapping, since there was an opportunity at the position in the following season. Having never played the position, he practiced in the off-season with Saskatchewan Roughriders long snapper, Jorgen Hus, and eventually won the job following training camp. He played in all 18 regular season games in 2023 as the team's long snapper and also recorded seven special teams tackles.

During training camp in 2024, Pickett was in competition for the long snapper position with Kyle Nelson. Nelson became the long snapper for punts while Pickett retained the job for field goals. Pickett also learned to play fullback and switched to the offense after playing as a defensive lineman.

On January 13, 2025, Pickett signed a one-year contract extension to remain with BC for the 2025 season.

On December 12, 2025, Pickett re-signed with the Lions, on a two-year contract extension.

On October 17, 2026, Pickett was placed on the Lions' reserve roster after suffering a hip injury the previous week. On October 22, 2026, Pickett was shifted to the Lions' 1-game injured list.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Riley Pickett". Canadian Junior Football League. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 "Riley Pickett". Saskatchewan Huskies. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Riley Pickett". BC Lions. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Riley Pickett CFL Combine Results". CFL.ca. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  5. ↑ Baker, Matt (May 11, 2022). "Lions Sign Seven Members Of 2022 CFL Draft Class". BC Lions.
  6. 1 2 "Life of a long snapper | Pickett excels in new role". BC Lions. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Game Notes" (PDF). Canadian Football League. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 11, 2023. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 "Three Saskatchewan-Lions share their early-season battle with adversities". BC Lions. July 12, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Lions sign National FB/LS Riley Pickett to one-year extension". Canadian Football League. January 13, 2025. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  10. ↑ "BC Lions Transactions". BC Lions. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  11. ↑ "CFL Injury Reports: Week 20". cfl.ca. Retrieved October 18, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Transactions". bclions.com. Retrieved October 18, 2026.