Toronto Argonauts: 5 things to know about Kamathi Holsey

The Toronto Argonauts boosted their wide receiver depth with the signing of Kamathi Holsey, but what do we know about the newest addition to the roster?

After a disastrous 2018 campaign, the Toronto Argonauts have a lot of work to do, in order to return to the playoffs. Everywhere you look on the roster, the talent needs to improve significantly.

One such area is the passing game, especially if Ricky Ray does the smart thing and retire. With him out most of this past season, the offence scored the second-fewest points in the CFL.

The Double Blue were middle of the pack when it came to yards through the air. And they finished with just 17 touchdown throws, to rank third-worst in the league.

With this in mind, the Toronto Argonauts made a move on Wednesday, in order to help get the passing attack back on track. As reported by Argonauts.ca, they signed international wide receiver Kamathi Holsey.

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If Holsey’s name sounds familiar, it’s entirely possible you read an article written about him earlier this year by The Guardian. At the time, he explained to Lyndsey D’Arcangelo that he was doing everything within his power, to get noticed by NFL scouts.

As part of his efforts to get on the radar, the sociology major promoted himself on social media. As he told D’Arcangelo:

"“Ever since junior college, I’ve been on Twitter just so they can see my name and know that I’m out there. Social media played a big part in getting college offers. Now, I’m doing the same with the NFL draft. My coaches can put in a word here or there, but that’s as far as it goes. Is that really enough? I’ve taken it upon myself to do it myself. If I don’t do it, who will?”"

Despite not being drafted by the NFL, Hosley will undoubtedly continue to pursue his dream, but in the meantime, the Argonauts will aim to take advantage of his availability. Here are five facts, to help you get to know the Philadelphia native better:

1) Hosley went through a tough childhood, which included spending time in a homeless shelter with his mother at the age of five. As per D’Arcangelo, his father also struggled with drug addiction.

2) Hosley’s life started to change around 15, when his parents moved to Virginia. As per D’Arcangelo, he enrolled at Oscar Smith High School in Chesapeake and joined the football team.

3)  As per argonauts.ca, Hosley played his freshman and sophomore years of college football at Independence Community College in Kansas. While there, he totaled 102 catches for 1,203 yards and 13 touchdowns.

4) After promoting himself with the help of social media, Hosley transferred to the UB Bulls, where he had 51 receptions, 737 yards and a couple of touchdowns in two seasons. As per argonauts.ca, his best performance came in 2017 against Western Michigan, with six catches, 143 yards and a score.

5) Arguably Housley’s biggest asset is his size, at 6 ft 4 and 215 pounds. As per Damond Talbot of Draft Diamond, he compares himself to Michael Thomas of the New Orleans Saints, saying both are tall and run good routes.

Are you familiar at all with Holsey and if so, what is your take on the wide receiver? More generally speaking, how confident are you in the Toronto Argonauts’ ability to bounce back from a poor 2018 campaign? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.