The B.C. Lions have signed American running back Emani Bailey.
The five-foot-seven, 202-pound ball-carrier finished his collegiate career at Texas Christian University where he rushed for 1,459 yards, caught 32 passes for 227 yards, and scored 11 touchdowns over 24 games. He helped the Horned Frogs reach the National Championship Game for the first time in program history in 2022 and was named All-Big 12 in 2023.
The native of Dallas, Texas started his collegiate career at the University of Louisiana, where he ran for 682 yards and eight touchdowns over 16 contests.
Bailey went unselected in the 2024 NFL Draft but signed with the Kansas City Chiefs that year and spent a portion of the regular-season on their practice roster. He later joined the Carolina Panthers, though he was released amid final training camp cuts in 2025.
The 24-year-old reportedly ran a 4.58-second forty-yard dash at his pro day, along with a 7.28-second three-cone and 4.50-second shuttle. He also recorded a 34.5-inch vertical jump and nine-foot, eight-inch broad jump.
The B.C. Lions signed defensive lineman Casey Sayles and linebacker Darnell Sankey after they were released by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Montreal Alouettes, respectively, though the team was relatively inactive in free agency. The team’s major departure was All-CFL offensive lineman Jarell Broxton, who signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
The Lions hold the seventh 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. B.C. will play its first preseason game against the Edmonton Elks on Saturday, May 23 and its first regular-season game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday, June 13.
In 2025, B.C. finished second in the West Division standings with an 11-7 record. They beat the Calgary Stampeders in the West Semi-Final but lost the West Final to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Franchise quarterback Nathan Rourke threw for 5,290 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions to be named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player.
