The B.C. have signed five selections from the 2023 CFL Draft, including first-round pick Francis Bemiy.
The six-foot-three, 270-pound defensive lineman played 49 games at Southern Utah (2018-22) where he made 163 total tackles, 38.5 tackles for a loss, 13 sacks, three fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble.
The Montreal native was the ninth overall pick in the draft and the fourth defensive lineman who went off the board. He is expected to serve as depth behind Nathan Cherry and Mathieu Betts, B.C.’s two Canadian starters along the defensive line.
B.C. also signed linebacker Markus Jean-Loescher, defensive back Jassin States-McClean, linebacker Jack Hinsperger, and offensive lineman Troy Kowal.
Jean-Loescher was selected in the fourth round out of Saint Mary’s University. The six-foot-two, 225-pound defender made 79 total tackles, six tackles for loss, two sacks, and three pass breakups with the Huskies and is the son of former Lions’ defensive lineman Nautyn McKay-Loescher.
States-McClean was the team’s sixth-round pick out of Saint Mary’s who made 50.5 total tackles, eight pass knockdowns, and one interception over 27 games with the Huskies. The five-foot-eleven, 198-pound cover man ran a 4.67-second forty-yard dash at the CFL Combine.
Hinsperger was B.C.’s seventh-round selection out of the University of Waterloo. The six-foot, 221-pound defender was named a first-team OUA all-star this past season and finished his tenure with the Warriors with 94.5 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one fumble recovery, and one interception.
Kowal has played 29 games at Minot State and was a two-year starter for the Beavers primarily at offensive tackle. He measured in at six-foot-six and 295 pounds at the CFL’s Invitational Combine.
Siriman Harrison Bagayogo, B.C.’s second-round pick in the 2023 CFL Draft, has yet to sign with the club as he is attending rookie minicamp with the Kansas City Chiefs this week. The team’s fifth-round pick, defensive back Charlie Ringland, will not play this season after undergoing knee surgery.