Coming out of high school in Arcadia, California, academic issues pushed Raeshawn Roland out of his commitment to Division-II Dixie State and down to the JUCO level.
It was not a place the talented cornerback wanted to be.
But two years at College of the Canyons, in Santa Clarita, turned out to be just what the cornerback needed.
On June 3rd, just hours after receiving an offer, Roland tweeted out his commitment to Montana, fulfilling his Division-I dream.
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“I was devastated going into JUCO, but then it humbled me and made me respect it a lot more as I grew into my two years,” Roland said. “I appreciate it now. I’m glad that I took the JUCO route, because it gives me a lot. Now, I’m prepared. I don’t know if, my freshman year, I was prepared or not, but I know for sure that I’m prepared now.”
Roland is the latest in a series of recently-announced veteran transfers who should add experience to the Griz defense. His commitment came not even a week after Montana officially announced FBS dropdown transfers Joe Babros, a defensive lineman from North Carolina State, and Mason Vinyard, a linebacker from Washington State.
Roland was named first-team all-region defense for College of the Canyons in 2018 after intercepting four passes and breaking up nine others in 11 games. The Cougars went 10-0 in the regular season before losing to Ventura in the first round of the regional playoffs.
Cornerbacks coach C.J. Cox handled most of the contact with Roland, who said that he also had an offer from Tennessee-Martin and interest from Oregon State.
“I had a great relationship with coach Cox,” Roland said. “I just thought that [Montana] would be the best opportunity for me, the best fit. I watched a few videos from the football team and I see that the team really, they play with a lot of intensity, and then the home field, it seems like a lot of intensity. It seems like a special place, and I just went with my heart, and I just felt like that would be the best fit for me.”
Cornerback was a sore spot for Montana last year, as the Grizzlies broke in two new starters in Dareon Nash and Justin Calhoun, both recruited to UM as wide receivers. Both of those players will return next year, as will rotation corner Josh Egbo and Kadeem Hemphill, who sat out last year after transferring in. Backup corner Lewis Cowans left the program following the season.
Roland said that he was excited to compete for time among a group that, with his addition, has a chance to be a great deal deeper than it was last year.
A smaller corner at 5-11, 160 pounds, he said that he patterns his game after his idol, Deion Sanders, as well as a former FCS corner in Jimmy Moreland, who was drafted by Washington in 2019 after setting records at James Madison.
“I really don’t let the size control anything,” Roland said. “I’ve never really ate that much, been pretty skinny, but my [high school] coach always told me just to be strong, so he had me lifting and doing all that type of stuff. The good things, staying in shape and everything. I could outrun whoever and I was still strong in the weight room, so it never really fazed me.”
His size wasn’t the only obstacle Roland had to overcome growing up. He was raised by a single mother in a rough neighborhood, playing football, baseball and basketball to, as he put it, “keep me occupied and away from the streets.”
It’s a common refrain for kids raised in neighborhoods like his, and it’s something that makes Roland even more ready to take advantage of a Division-I opportunity that’s taken a whole career to come his way.
“I just want the people to know that I’ll be on campus soon, and it’s going down,” Roland said. “I’m just excited, I’m excited to meet everyone. I just want to come in there, and it’s going to be my new home, so I just want to be loved. I’m going to show love, I want to get love back, be the best teammate I can be, and I want to go win some games.”
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