Hamilton Tiger-Cats sign North Carolina cover man Gavin Gibson, release one

Photo courtesy: North Carolina Athletics.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have signed American defensive back Gavin Gibson.

The 21-year-old played 12 games at the University of North Carolina in 2025, recording 38 total tackles, 25 solo, three tackles for loss, three pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

The six-foot, 185-pound cover man previously spent time at East Carolina (2024) and Maryland (2022-2023), appearing in 33 career games, registering 84 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, nine pass breakups, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and one sack.

In a corresponding move, the Ticats released American defensive back Kendall Bohler.

The 24-year-old was signed by Hamilton in late November. He spent time with the Denver Broncos after going unselected in the 2025 NFL Draft. The six-foot, 195-pound cover man spent most of his collegiate career at Florida A&M University (2021-2024), appearing in 44 games, posting 105 tackles, 73 solo, 33 pass breakups, six tackles for loss, four interceptions, one fumble recovery and two blocks.

Bohler began his collegiate career with the Mercer Bears (2019), appearing in two games and recording one defensive tackle, one interception returned for 30 yards and one pass defended.

The Tiger-Cats opened training camp on Sunday, May 10. Hamilton plays its two preseason games against the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday, May 23, and Friday, May 29. Final roster cuts are due on Saturday, May 30, after which the team will play its first regular-season game against the Montreal Alouettes on Thursday, June 4.

The Ticats recently selected Louisiana Tech offensive lineman Jonathan Denis with their first-round pick in the 2026 CFL Draft. The team’s other major offseason additions include quarterback Tre Ford, receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr., and linebacker Wynton McManis.

In 2025, the Tabbies finished first in the East Division standings with an 11-7 record, though the team lost the East Final to the Alouettes.