The Edmonton Elks have signed American defensive back Michael Dowell. The signing appeared on the CFL’s transactions page on Wednesday and was subsequently confirmed by the team.
The six-foot-one, 215-pound defender finished his collegiate career with two seasons at Miami University (Ohio) where he recorded 157 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, 11 pass knockdowns, one fumble recovery, and one forced fumble over 26 games.
The native of North Ridgeville, Ohio started his collegiate career at Michigan State University where he made 82 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, five pass knockdowns, one fumble recovery, and 0.5 sacks over 32 games with the Spartans.
Dowell signed with the Seattle Seahawks after going unselected in the 2024 NFL Draft but didn’t appear in any regular-season games with the team. He reportedly ran a 4.54-second forty-yard dash at his pro day along with a 34-inch vertical jump.
The Edmonton Elks were one of the CFL’s most active teams in free agency with key signings including quarterback Taylor Powell, receivers Austin Mack and Joe Robustelli, offensive lineman Coulter Woodmansey, and defensive lineman Malik Carney. The team’s main departures included quarterback Tre Ford (Hamilton Tiger-Cats), receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr. (Hamilton Tiger-Cats), and defensive lineman Jake Ceresna (Winnipeg Blue Bombers).
The Elks hold the third 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. Edmonton will play its first preseason game against the B.C. Lions on Saturday, May 23 and its first regular-season game against the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday, June 6.
In 2025, Edmonton finished fifth in the West Division standings with a 7-11 record, missing the playoffs for the fifth straight season.
