NATCHITOCHES – Late June does not typically symbolize the start of football season.
 
For a pair of former Northwestern State standouts, it certainly does.
 
Former Demons All-American Imoan Claiborne and Bryant Mitchell will see their Canadian Football League teams square off in Saturday's season opener.
 
Claiborne, a member of the Ottawa Redblacks practice squad, and Mitchell, a member of the Edmonton Eskimos practice squad, will meet when the teams open the season Saturday at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
 
After spending the 2015 preseason with the NFL's then-St. Louis Rams, Claiborne was a part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' practice squad for the majority of the 2015 season.
 
He was among the final Redblacks' cuts as the team worked to reach the CFL's 46-man, regular-season roster limit. The CFL's 59^th season begins tonight when Toronto hosts Hamilton.
 
Claiborne, a cornerback from Alexandria Senior High School, enjoyed a decorated Northwestern State career that included a third-team FCS All-American selection by The Sports Network following his senior season. Claiborne also was a first-team All-Louisiana and All-Southland Conference selection after tallying 48 tackles, four interceptions, seven pass breakups and a sack. His three fumble recoveries in 2014 ranked sixth nationally and gave him a hand in seven of the 30 turnovers the Demons forced that season despite missing 1½ games because of injuries suffered against Central Arkansas on Oct. 25.
 
His performance that season, which concluded with him completing his undergraduate degree in general studies, led him to a berth in the prestigious Reese's Senior Bowl.
 
The first two-time recipient of the Demons' Joe Delaney Memorial Leadership Award finished his career with 103 tackles, 11 pass breakups, six interceptions, two sacks and one fumble recovery. He started 28 games, including 22 across his final two seasons. He was a second-team All-Southland Conference selection as a junior and a preseason first-team All-Southland pick as a senior.
 
His junior season was highlighted by a 48-yard interception return for a touchdown against Stephen F. Austin in the Demons' season-ending 40-27 victory.
 
Mitchell, a wide receiver from San Diego, California, played last season with the Eskimos, catching five passes for 45 yards and rushing twice for 17 yards in two preseason games. Edmonton is the defending Grey Cup champions, defeating Ottawa, 26-20, to earn its 11^th CFL championship. 
 
In two seasons at Northwestern State, Mitchell played in 21 games, catching 53 passes for 564 yards and five touchdowns.