Ottawa Redblacks sign Division II All-American Gabe Brown, five others

Photo courtesy: Grand Valley State Athletics

The Ottawa Redblacks have signed six American players to their training camp roster, including receivers Jordan Bly, Christian Horn, and R.J. Starkey, and offensive linemen Gabe Brown, Chaz Neal, and Quez Yate.

Bly split his collegiate career between Gardner-Webb University (2024) and Old Dominion University (2021-2023), registering 62 receptions for 587 yards and two touchdowns. The six-foot, 166-pound speedster reportedly clocked a 4.36-second forty-yard dash at his pro day last year, earning him opportunities with the NFL’s New York Giants and UFL’s Orlando Storm. He is the son of former All-Pro NFL cornerback Dre Bly, and the cousin of NFL receiver Josh Downs and projected first-round draft pick Caleb Downs.

Horn played 57 games over five seasons at Appalachian State University (2020-24), notching 97 receptions for 1,658 yards and 11 touchdowns. The six-foot-two, 190-pound target from Columbia, S.C., was twice named a team captain with the Mountaineers and set a career-high of 600 yards in 2022.

Starkey attended Samford University (2023) and the University of Pennsylvania (2019-22), collecting a combined 146 receptions for 1,753 yards and 14 touchdowns. The six-foot-one, 220-pound receiver was named second-team All-Ivy League in 2022 before transferring and later spent time with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent. He was last under contract with the UFL’s Houston Gamblers in 2025.

Brown was a standout at Grand Valley State University (2022-24), earning first-team Division II All-American recognition as a senior and being named the GLIAC conference’s Offensive Lineman of the Year. The six-foot-four, 320-pound blocker also received first-team All-GLIAC recognition in 2024 and 2023, as well as second-team honours in 2022. He began his career at Bowling Green State University (2021), dressing for 10 games as a freshman.

Neal checks in at an impressive six-foot-nine and 315 pounds, dividing his collegiate career between Florida Atlantic University (2021-23) and Florida State University  (2019-20). He split time between right and left tackle, appearing in 53 total games and earning second-team All-AAC honours as a senior.

Yates played 28 games for the University of Alabama-Birmingham (2022-24) after transferring from Jones College at the JUCO level. The six-foot-six, 320-pound blocker saw action at right tackle and right guard for the Blazers.

The Ottawa Redblacks were the CFL’s most active team in free agency, adding players like quarterback Jake Maier, running back Greg Bell, offensive lineman Martez Ivey, defensive lineman Habakkuk Baldonado, linebacker A.J. Allen, strong-side linebacker C.J. Reavis, and defensive back Demerio Houston. The team also had a few key departures, including quarterback Dustin Crum (Montreal Alouettes), strong-side linebacker Adarius Pickett (Toronto Argonauts), and return specialist DeVonte Dedmon (Montreal Alouettes).

The Redblacks hold the first 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. The team will play its first preseason game against the Montreal Alouettes on Friday, May 22, and its first regular-season game against the Edmonton Elks on Saturday, June 6.

In 2025, Ottawa finished fourth in the East Division standings with a 4-14 record, missing the playoffs for the fifth time in the last six seasons. Ryan Dinwiddie was hired as the team’s head coach and general manager after the firing of Bob Dyce.