Byron Pinkston is a well-travelled 23-year-old.

Hailing from Hamden, Conn., the rookie offensive lineman attended Dean College of the National Junior College Athletic Association in Franklin, Mass., before spending two seasons with the NCAA’s Florida International Panthers in Miami.

He then found his way to Montreal where he attended training camp with the Alouettes in 2014 before ending up with the Philadelphia Yellow Jackets of the American Indoor Football League.

After attending an open tryout for the Red and White in Princeton, N.J., back on Apr. 3, the criminal justice major impressed the scouting staff enough to earn an invite to this week’s rookie camp in Calgary.

“The indoor thing was cool, it was fun, but I’m happy to be here though.”
– OL Byron Pinkston

Still adjusting to not only a new city but also a new style of football, Pinkston is doing what he can to pick up the nuances of football north of the border.

“There’s a lot of movement on the defence where at first you would think it’s one (type of) defence but it might end up being (another),” commented No. 66 on the Canadian game. “That’s the difficult part but, actually, once you understand that, it’s just playing football.”

Despite his lack of CFL experience, Pinkston feels he has something to offer to the Stamps and was quick to point out his self-perceived greatest strength.

“I feel like I’m a little bit quicker and once I get the understanding of (all) the plays and the defences and stuff, I think everything will just come naturally and then I’ll be able just to play football,” the six-foot-three, 288 lb. centre identified. “But basically, my feet, I feel like I have really good feet and that’s what I really bring to the game. And then, after that, I’ll just shoot from the ground up and everything’s going to work out.”

Looking back on his brief stint with the Yellow Jackets – he played just two games with the franchise – Pinkston enjoyed his time in the 21-team league, but is fully embracing his new surroundings.

“That experience was cool,” articulated Pinkston. “It was just a lot different from American outdoor football and this football. It’s more ‘in-the-box’ and you know exactly who’s coming and exactly where they’re coming (from). Here, you don’t know what’s going to happen with you or how things are going to happen. The indoor thing was cool, it was fun, but I’m happy to be here though.”

Offensive lineman Byron Pinkston doing a sled drill during 2016 Stamps training camp (Photo by Molly Campbell)

As for how he wound up in southern Alberta, Pinkston’s offensive coordinator in Philadelphia – Ryan Vena — played arena football for the Albany Conquest in 2006, when he was coached by current Stamps receivers coach Pete Costanza. Vena, a former quarterback, then recommended for Pinkston to attend the Stampeders’ open tryout, with Costanza on hand for evaluation purposes.

“Actually my coach from the indoor team was coached by the receivers coach here when he was playing in the arena (league),” explained the 2011 Valley of the Sun Bowl champion as a member of the NJCAA’s Dean Bulldogs. “So he would have been at the tryout and that’s where I got my shot.”

Rookie camp is now in the books and the veterans are slated to join the first-year hopefuls when main camp opens on Sunday morning. And as for Pinkston’s thoughts on the latest stop on his football journey? So far, so good.

“Last year at this time I was with Montreal, so I kind of knew how the (Stampeders) tryout was going to go,” the free-agent signee declared. “But I like the experience with the Stampeders way better because the coaches actually coach you. (Offensive live) coach (Pat) DelMonaco really coaches you and has got me to understand the game.”