Braydon Noll changed sides while remaining loyal to the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks football team.
“When I went to Laurier, I started out on the D-line,” the 27-year-old Saskatchewan Roughriders offensive lineman recalls. “That didn’t work out too well, so I made the switch to O-line in my second year. I never looked back from then.”
Noll is now in his fourth CFL season and his second with the Roughriders, who carried a league-best 7-1 record into the current bye week.
He was selected by the Toronto Argonauts in the fourth round (35th overall) of the 2022 CFL draft after attending Wilfrid Laurier University from 2016 to 2021.
The aforementioned change took place in 2017, at the behest of the Golden Hawks’ coaches.
“It was their suggestion,” he says. “Honestly, I don’t think I was a very good D-lineman. They thought I’d be better at O-line, which they were right about.”
Time spent in the U Sports ranks was a springboard to the CFL and a rookie reward — in the form of a Grey Cup ring.
With Toronto in 2022, Noll was introduced to running backs Andrew Harris and A.J. Ouellette, defensive linemen Shane Ray and Benoit Marion, receiver Tommy Nield, offensive lineman Trevon Tate, defensive co-ordinator Corey Mace, running backs/quality control coach Edwin Harrison and defensive backs coach Joshua Bell.
All of them are now with the Roughriders. Ouellette, Ray, Marion, Nield, Tate and Noll are once again teammates.
Harrison (offensive line coach), Harris (running backs coach) and Bell (defensive backs, pass game co-ordinator) are part of a Mace-led coaching staff in Saskatchewan.
“I was working with the scout team over there (in Toronto), so we definitely had some time together,” Noll says of his earlier interactions with Mace.
“We had a good relationship then and still do now, so it has been great to know the coaches who came over here with him.”
The 6-foot-5, 297-pound Noll — the first Roughrider to hail from Orangeville, Ont. — dressed for four games over his first two seasons with Toronto.
He appeared in four more contests last season after signing with Saskatchewan on Aug. 5, 2024.
“I was ecstatic (to join the Roughriders),” Noll says. “I knew a lot of the coaches. There’s a great group of guys here. With the best fans, I knew it would be the best place.
“It’s kind of similar to the town I grew up in, with a small-town vibe. It was an easy choice there. “
After spending time on the practice roster and the one-game injury list over the Roughriders’ first six games of 2025, he was activated as the sixth offensive lineman leading up to a July 24 home game against the Edmonton Elks.
Noll has been on the active roster for back-to-back victories that helped Saskatchewan ascend to top spot overall in the nine-team league.
“With the expectations I had coming here, honestly they have been exceeded,” he says. “It’s even bigger and better than I would have imagined.”
A FINE LINE
The Roughriders’ offensive line was recognized by Pro Football Focus as part of its weekly Honour Roll.
PFF gave Saskatchewan the highest unit grade (75.1) of any offensive line after Saturday’s 34-6 victory over the host Montreal Alouettes.
The Roughriders’ O-line’s top three player grades were given to right tackle Jermarcus Hardrick (72.4), left tackle Payton Collins (71.5) and right guard Jacob Brammer (69.2).
Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris had the highest grade on offence (87.7) for Week 9. He has been a PFF All-Week selection following three of his past four games.
Saskatchewan’s Jameer Thurman had the highest player rating (90.6) of any linebacker during Week 9. Thurman needs 13 defensive tackles to reach a career milestone of 500.