The Edmonton Elks have released National defensive lineman Antonio Alfano.
The 24-year-old was selected by the Elks via a supplemental draft last season, forfeiting an eighth-round pick in the 2025 CFL Draft. He appeared in four games, making two starts and recording three tackles, before suffering a season-ending knee injury.
The native of Livingston, N.J. qualified for Canadian citizenship through his mother, who was born in Toronto. He was the fifth-ranked college prospect in the entire United States coming out of Colonia High School in 2019.
The six-foot-four, 285-pound defender originally committed to the University of Alabama, though he never played for the team as Nick Saban, who was then the program’s head coach, accused him of quitting. He transferred to the University of Colorado in the spring of 2020 but was suspended and never dressed for the team.
After a stint at Independence Community College during which he didn’t play and a year out of football, Alfano made his long-awaited collegiate debut in 2023 at Lackawanna College, a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) program in Scranton, Pa. He made 14 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, four sacks, one pass knockdown, and one forced fumble over five games.
Rather than take advantage of further college eligibility, he chose to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft and eventually filed his paperwork to earn National status in the CFL.
