The Edmonton Elks have acquired Canadian defensive tackle Sam Acheampong from the Toronto Argonauts in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2024 CFL Draft and the rights to negotiation list player Xavier Gipson.
Acheampong was selected by the Argos with the 20th overall selection in the second round of the 2020 CFL Draft, playing 31 games over the past three seasons. The Brampton, Ont. native has notched 36 career tackles and three sacks while blocking a field goal. His lone appearance this season came against Edmonton in Week 3.
Prior to his time in the CFL, the six-foot-five, 270-pound defender played five seasons at Wilfrid Laurier University (2015-19), where he was named an OUA first-team All-Star in his final year.
In exchange, the Argos received the CFL rights to Gipson, who recently signed with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent. The five-foot-nine, 188-pound speedster played four seasons for Stephen F. Austin University, collecting 244 receptions for 4,321 yards and 37 touchdowns. He was named the back-to-back Western Athletic Conference offensive player of the year in 2021 and 2022, earning AP first-team All-American honours in both seasons.
The Elks return to action on Thursday, July 13 when they host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Commonwealth Stadium. Toronto is set to visit the Montreal Alouettes on Friday, July 14.
