The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have signed five American receivers to their training camp roster, including Brevin Easton, Griffin Hebert, OJ Hiliare, Cephus Johnson III, and Trea Shropshire.
Johnson III converted to receiver after spending the majority of his college career as a dual-threat quarterback. He played 16 games at South Alabama, throwing for 1,020 yards, eight touchdowns, and eight interceptions while rushing for 243 yards and four majors, before transferring to Southeastern Louisiana. In 25 games with the Lions, the six-foot-five, 220-pound weapon threw for 1,449 yards with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions, adding 138 carries for 797 yards and eight scores on the ground. He signed with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and later spent time on the practice roster of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Easton was a third-team FCS All-American at the University of Albany in 2023, wrapping up two seasons at the school with 78 receptions for 1,332 yards and 14 touchdowns in 24 games. He began his career at Division II Assumption University, where he registered 55 receptions for 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns in 20 games. The five-foot-11, 197-pound receiver attended training camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024 as an undrafted free agent but did not make the team.
Hebert played 56 games over four seasons at Louisiana Tech, amassing 99 receptions for 1,532 yards and 14 touchdowns while being listed as a tight end. The six-foot-one, 240-pound target signed with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and later spent parts of two seasons on the practice roster of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Hiliare returns to Hamilton after spending time on the practice roster last season, joining the team following his release from the Atlanta Falcons. The six-foot, 185-pound pass catcher made 103 receptions for 1,279 yards and 10 touchdowns over 26 collegiate games at Bowling Green State University, twice earning All-Mac honours. The native of Belle Glade, Fla. transferred from Alabama A&M where he registered 88 catches for 1,151 yards and 13 touchdowns over 14 games.
Shropshire last suited up for the Argonauts in 2024 but failed to make the team out of training camp. The six-foot-three, 195-pound target caught 78 passes for 1,936 yards and 15 touchdowns over 34 collegiate games at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. He did not receive an NFL contract following the 2023 NFL Draft but spent time with the D.C. Defenders of the UFL.
