Calgary Stampeders add Northwestern QB Preston Stone to negotiation list

Photo: Northwestern Athletics

The Calgary Stampeders added American quarterback Preston Stone to their negotiation list on Tuesday.

The six-foot-one, 215-pound passer played at Northwestern University in 2025 where he completed 60.0 percent of his passes for 2,400 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions over 13 games. He also rushed for 50 yards and one score.

The native of Dallas, Texas spent the first four seasons of his collegiate career at Southern Methodist University where he completed 59.3 percent of his passes for 4,030 yards, 35 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He was named third-team All-AAC in 2023.

The 24-year-old is eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft.

CFL teams can claim the rights to up to 45 players via the negotiation list on a first-come, first-served basis, provided that they are not eligible for the Canadian or Global Drafts, and have never played in the league before. These players can be added, traded, or removed from the list at any time.

Being added to a negotiation list does not mean that the player has expressed interest in the CFL, and some are unaware that their rights have even been claimed. Players can only force their removal from the list if the team does not provide them with a minimum contract offer at their request.

The Calgary Stampeders weren’t very active in CFL free agency, though they signed former Toronto Argonauts receiver Dejon Brissett, who set a career-high with 907 receiving yards in 2025. The Stampeders didn’t lose any free agents to other CFL teams but had three players sign in the NFL: receiver Damien Alford (New Orleans Saints), defensive lineman Jaylon Hutchings (Minnesota Vikings), and linebacker Jacob Roberts (Minnesota Vikings).

The Stampeders hold the sixth overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. Calgary will play its first preseason game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Monday, May 18 and its first regular-season game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday, June 5.

In 2025, Calgary finished third in the West Division standings with an 11-7 record but lost the West Semi-Final to the B.C. Lions.