Michiko Araki
When you’re a rookie on a new team, getting on the field to play for the first time can be an intimidating experience. However, for newcomer and 2015 draft pick Shaquille Murray-Lawrence, he has shown that he is more than ready to prove that he belongs in the CFL.
Although he’s the youngest player on the team at 21, he’s already starting to catch the eyes of several veterans on the field. In his first ever CFL game last week against the REDBLACKS, Shaquille saw action on kick returns, notching 4 returns for 72 yards. However, the highlight of the night came when he returned a kick for a touchdown in front of his family and friends at TD Place. Although the play was called back and the score wiped off the board, the speedster showed that he’s ready to make his mark in the league in his first ever season.
“Last week was my first CFL game. It felt good to be out there finally, flying around and whatnot,” says Shaquille. “I got adjusted to the game speed pretty quick. I played against some of the best players in the world in college, so I really think it got me ready for the next level and adjusting to the game speed.”
Although he’s a quick and explosive player, he’s a quiet, down-to-earth, and humble person off of the field. You can tell that he’s the type of guy that’ll let his playing do the talking.
“He’s definitely got a lot of speed, and like I said, he’s really explosive,” says Harris, who works closely with Shaquille at practice. “We definitely have totally different styles of running and it’ll be kind of cool to see once we get the season going and get the ebb and flow of things and see how they’re going to put us on the field together to create mismatches that way.”
For Shaquille, having a well-respected veteran like Andrew Harris take him under his wing has been a blessing. “It’s great actually,” says Shaquille. “I don’t want to say he holds my hand, but he walks me through everything. He teaches me – every day, he’s teaching me. He’s making sure I’m in the right place at the right time, always. He’s been that mentor, that big brother to me. I’m just trying to learn after him.”
With Harris as his mentor, the future looks bright for the youngest Lion on the team.
“He’s got some learning to do, like anyone when you’re young,” says Harris. “It takes some time to realize how it is to become a pro and what it takes. He’s doing well though, I’m proud of him. It’s just one of those things where he’ll have to keep working at it and it’s just gonna make him better.”
So, what can fans expect from the rookie this season?
“Just going to give my best effort every game, that’s it,” he says. “Hopefully I give [the fans] a big play every game, that’s what I try to do. I try to do my job out there.”
One thing’s for sure – Shaquille is one player you won’t want to take your eyes off of this season!