| Riley Pickett | |
| Team: | BC Lions |
| Image Upright: | 1 |
| Status: | Active |
| Import: | no |
| Position1: | Fullback Long snapper |
| Birth Date: | 5 October 1997 |
| Birth Place: | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Number: | 45 |
| Amateur Title: | CJFL |
| Amateur Team: | Saskatoon Hilltops |
| Cis: | Saskatchewan Huskies |
| High School: | Centennial Collegiate |
| Height Ft: | 5 |
| Height In: | 2 |
| Weight Lbs: | 250 |
| Cfldraftedyear: | 2022 |
| Cfldraftedround: | 5 |
| Cfldraftedpick: | 41 |
| Cfldraftedteam: | BC Lions |
| Playing Years1: | –present |
| Playing Team1: | BC Lions |
| Career Highlights: |
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| Cfl: | riley-pickett/ |
Riley Pickett (born October 5, 1997) is a Canadian professional football fullback and long snapper for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Pickett played for the Saskatoon Hilltops of the Canadian Junior Football League from 2015 to 2017.[1] He won a Canadian Bowl championship in each of his three seasons with the Hilltops and was named the Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2017.[1] He played in 21 games where he recorded 26 tackles, 11 assisted tackles, 16 special teams tackles, 10 sacks, and two forced fumbles.[1]
Pickett later joined the Saskatchewan Huskies of U Sports football and played for the team from 2018 to 2021.[2] [3] He played in 21 games where he had 58.5 total tackles, 11 sacks, 16 tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.[2] He won two Hardy Cup championships with the Huskies, in 2018 and 2021.
Pickett was drafted in the fifth round, 41st overall, by the BC Lions in the 2022 CFL Draft and signed with the team on May 11, 2022.[4] He played in ten games in 2022, where he had one defensive tackle and two special teams tackles.[3]
During his 2022 exit interview with the team's co-general manager, Neil McEvoy, it was suggested that Pickett practice long snapping, since there was an opportunity at the position in the following season.[5] Having never played the position, he practiced in the off-season with Saskatchewan Roughriders long snapper, Jorgen Hus, and eventually won the job following training camp.[5] He played in all 18 regular season games in 2023 as the team's long snapper and also recorded seven special teams tackles.[6]
During training camp in 2024, Pickett was in competition for the long snapper position with Kyle Nelson.[7] Nelson became the long snapper for punts while Pickett retained the job for field goals.[7] Pickett also learned to play fullback and switched to the offense after playing as a defensive lineman.[7]