King's student-athletes take next step in pursuing football dreams
May 9, 2022
Congratulations to King’s student-athletes Deionte Knight, Zach Fry, and Daniel Valente, Jr., who were selected in the 2022 Canadian Football League (CFL) Draft, held on May 3, 2022.
Knight, a 2nd year, BA Major in History student, was drafted in the second round and 10th overall by the Toronto Argonauts. He is a defensive end and is also being scouted by the National Football League (NFL) in the United States.
Knight was named Western University Mustangs Male Athlete of the Year during the 81st Mustangs Awards, held on April 5, 2022. Knight helped the Mustangs football team win the Vanier Cup Championship, Canada’s national award for university football, this year. Knight won both the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) & U SPORTS J.P. Metra Trophy as Most Outstanding Lineman of the Year awards. After leading the country with 7.5 sacks on the season and having 19 tackles, Knight was named a 1st Team All-Canadian at the U Sports Banquet in December 2021. As a bonus to his personal football stats, during the 2021 regular-season finale at Windsor, Knight took a fumble recovery 12 yards for a touchdown.
Knight’s future may also be with the National Football League as he is attending the Washington Commanders rookie camp and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers camp.
Read more about Knight being drafted in this article from the Toronto Argonauts website: Added to our Canadian contingent during 2022 CFL draft.
Read the interview Knight gave to CBC London Morning on his parents, football and seizing the day.
Fry, a 3rd year, BMOS, Specialization in Finance and Administration student, was also drafted in the second round. He went 16th overall to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He has since signed with the Roughriders. Fry was a solid tackle for the Western Mustangs, known for opening spaces for the team on the field. He was part of the offensive line efforts that led the Mustangs to an Ontario University Athletics (OUA)-best of 295 points scored this season. He was also a 1st team OUA All-Star and a 2nd Team All-Canadian.
Read more about Fry being drafted in this article from the Saskatchewan Roughriders website: Riders select eight prospects in the 2022 CFL draft.
Valente, Jr., a 2nd year, BA Major in History student, was drafted in the fourth round and 31st overall by the Ottawa Redblacks. Valente, Jr. had 36.5 tackles this season, four interceptions and one sack. He was a 1st team OUA All-Star & 1st team All-Canadian. In the Vanier Cup, he had a team-high nine tackles and was named Defensive Player of the Game. At the Mustangs Awards in April, he was awarded a Purple Blanket, which is an award presented to student-athletes, usually in their graduating year. Winners are selected based on their academic and athletic achievements.
Read more about Valente, Jr. being drafted in this article from the Ottawa Redblacks website: CFL Draft Report
“We are delighted to see these student-athletes from King’s be selected in the CFL draft. All of these young men are tremendous ambassadors for our institution along with our Western Mustang partners and we wish them best of luck as they continue their athletic careers at the professional level,” says Joe Henry, Dean of Students.
To learn more about King’s student-athletes, please visit https://www.kings.uwo.ca/current-students/campus-life/athletics/