The Edmonton Elks have signed nine players, including American defensive back Leonard Johnson.
The six-foot-one, 200-pound native of Hayden, Ala. dressed for four regular-season games with the Toronto Argonauts this past year, making 24 tackles. He also had a stint on the practice roster with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
The 26-year-old played collegiately at Duke University where he made 165 total tackles, six interceptions, 24 pass knockdowns, two sacks, and three forced fumbles over 47 games.
Edmonton’s other signings include American receivers Jalon Calhoun, Corey Crooms Jr., Devron Harper, and Jaan Laap, Canadian defensive lineman Micah Roane, American defensive backs Demetries Ford and Kenneth Logan Jr., and Canadian kicker Campbell Fair.
Calhoun played five collegiate seasons at Duke University where he made 253 receptions for 3,026 yards and 17 touchdowns and was named third-team All-ACC in 2022. He signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent this past season but was cut at the conclusion of training camp.
Crooms Jr. caught 28 passes for 376 yards during his final collegiate season at the University of Minnesota in 2023. He previously played at Western Michigan University where he made 115 receptions for 1,766 yards and 12 touchdowns. The six-foot, 195-pound receiver was most recently with the Dallas Cowboys.
Harper caught 159 passes for 1,929 yards and 13 touchdowns over 34 collegiate games at Mercer University, an FCS program located in Macon, Ga. The five-foot-nine, 179-pound native of Conyers, Ga. also rushed for 458 yards and six touchdowns and returned four kicks for scores. He has previously been a member of the B.C. Lions.
Laap made 167 receptions for 3,125 yards and 32 touchdowns over 46 collegiate games at State University of New York at Cortland, a Division III program. The native of Stony Brook, N.Y. signed with the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2024 and caught a 47-yard touchdown pass during the preseason but was ultimately released by the team.
Roane was a fourth-round pick in the 2024 CFL Draft to the Montreal Alouettes. He dressed for six games as a rookie but didn’t register any statistics, spending most of the year on the practice roster. The 25-year-old native of Chaska, Minn. made 94 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles over 40 games at the University of South Dakota.
Ford spent this past season with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Hamilton Tiger-Cats, though he didn’t dress for any regular-season games. The 23-year-old finished his collegiate career at Arizona State University where he made 31 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, five pass knockdowns, and one forced fumble over 12 games.
Logan Jr. made 313 total tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, four interceptions, 21 pass knockdowns, and four fumble recoveries over three seasons at Kansas University. The six-foot, 210-pound defender had a stint with the Rams as an undrafted free agent but was ultimately waived by the team.
Fair was selected in the sixth round of the 2023 CFL Draft by the Calgary Stampeders. He attended training camp with the team and made a 36-yard field goal in preseason action but was later released. He has also spent time on the practice roster with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Elks.
The native of Carrying Place, Ont. played four collegiate seasons at the University of Ottawa and was named a second-team OUA all-star in 2022. He made 48-of-68 career field goal attempts and punted 98 times for a 37.7-yard average.
