Onterio McCalebb and LaDarius Owens are continuing their pursuit of professional football careers north of the border. On Monday, the pair of former Auburn players took part in their first mini-camp with the Ottawa Redblacks, who play in the Canadian Football League.

“Honestly I was kind of caught off-guard, I’ve always anticipated how it would be being a yard off the ball, seeing how I pass-rush and play D-line and all that. ”Owens said in a post-practice interview, which was tweeted out from the team’s official Twitter account. “But it wasn’t as bad as I thought.”

For Owens, who played at Auburn from 2011-14 after redshirting in 2010, Monday was a long time coming after taking a year off from football.

“I was just so excited to be back on the field after being a year out of the game,” he said. “I’m just gracious and thankful for this opportunity.”

McCalebb is trying to jump-start his own career after playing with the Cincinnati Bengals the past three seasons.

McCalebb was never able to settle on a position with Cincinnati; though he played running back at Auburn, the Bengals moved him to cornerback after signing him as an undrafted free agent in 2013. Last year, McCalebb was on the move again, as the Bengals shifted him to wide receiver.

His tenure in Cincinnati ended last September, as he was released after reaching an injury settlement with the team. McCalebb only appeared in one regular season game for Cincinnati and did not record any statistics.

With the Redblacks keeping him at receiver, McCalebb hopes big things are in store this season.

“I think I bring a lot to the table,” he said. “Speed. (I’m) competitive. I love the ball in my hands and I love to score.”

Watch the full video of McCalebb and Owens' post-practice interviews below.



