Akwasi Owusu-Ansah is a newbie to the CFL game, but he’s no football neophyte.

The affable and well-spoken native of Ghana was a fourth-round draft choice of the Dallas Cowboys, has started at defensive back in the NFL and witnessed all that there is to experience in the big-money, big-ego world of four-down football.

“The NFL is a never-ending cycle of great athletes,’’ he said.

“The older you get, the harder it is to get in.”

At 27, he found himself at a football cross road, believing he can still compete and play at the NFL level, but needing that opportunity to showcase his talents.

The NFL would initiate a veteran combine, an event that brought together club GMs and head coaches.

“I performed well, but no calls,’’ said Owusu-Ansah, whose first name means Sunday. “A week or two went by and I got a call from the Argos and they said: ‘Have you ever thought about playing Canadian football?’ I said: ‘Not really.’ ’’

Owusu-Ansah would hear some buzz resonating in the NFL, but nothing came of it.

He had a conversation with his agent and Owusu-Ansah would soon be making plans to join the Double Blue at their Florida mini-camp in early May.

Later that month, the Argos would sign him to a deal.

It’s early in the process with training camp in its first week, but he’s clearly made an impression in the defensive secondary.

The Argos plan to be aggressive on defence this year, in some ways resorting to some of the principles Chris Jones has used, among other wrinkles.

At this stage of evaluation, it’s hard to tell which players are better suited for the Boatmen’s system, but players such as Owusu-Ansah and A.J. Jefferson are two defensive backs who have shown well in practice.

“It’s definitely grown on me,’’ said Owusu-Ansah.

“It’s a different game, but I like it. When you come here to succeed, you’ve got to let go of the NFL way and accept the Canadian way by becoming fully immersed in it.

“I like it, I enjoy it. The waggle is kind of difficult to adjust to, but it can translate well into helping your man-to-man defence once you get that down. I’m enjoying the process.”

To say Owusu-Ansah knew nothing about the CFL would be an understatement.

He knew there was a team in Toronto, but had no clue of the rules, size of the field and player ratio.

“I never paid much attention to it,’’ he said of the CFL.

But football is a sport he enjoys and the chance to play the game has brought him to Toronto.

“It’s the competition,’’ he said.

“That’s what football is based on. Training camp is an opportunity for everyone to come out and compete as well as build relationships with each other and make the team.

“The key is to control what you can control, come out every day and compete and do what you can. The rest will come.”

ONE OFFENCE, IT'S SPENCER FOR HIRE

Diontae Spencer’s patience grew thinner with each passing day, a pass catcher and punt returner hoping for an opportunity.

He was missing football while he bided his time in his native Louisiana

And when the Argonauts came calling, he jumped on it.

“When you have an opportunity like this to showcase your talent and your gift you can’t pass up on that opportunity,’’ said Spencer. “The window closes quickly. My biggest thing coming here was to get myself in the best football shape, getting myself around the game again and learning.

“Football opens doors and hopefully the doors keep opening.”

There’s an opening for Spencer to seize one of many jobs available on offence.

His ability to return punts helps, another area the Scullers are hoping to address at camp.

Spencer, who had a brief exposure in the NFL with the St. Louis Rams, landed on a developmental squad where he met fellow Argos receiving prospect Kevin Elliott.

“It’s different than American football,’’ said the 5-foot-9 Spencer, who played his collegiate football at McNeese State. “It’s just learning, learning from Chad (Owens) and all the vets like (Andre) Durie. There’s a lot to learn and a lot of the game is mental.

“You want to stay on it, learn and grow and hopefully it’ll pan out at the end.”

BACK IN THE FOLD

As expected, Cleyon Laing officially reported to the Argonauts late Tuesday. Wednesday was an off-day, at least in terms of on-field football activity. Laing is expected to practise on Thursday, when the team resumes its routine of two-a-day practice sessions.

Laing, a native of Edmonton, was selected ninth overall by the Argos in the 2013 CFL draft out of Iowa State. In two years with the Argos, he’s started in 20 games at defensive tackle.

There’s not a lot of Canadian depth along Toronto’s defensive line of scrimmage, making Laing a highly coveted asset. He’s under contract, but decided not to report this past weekend after Laing changed agents earlier this off-season. He was placed on the team’s suspended list late Saturday night.