B.C. Lions sign former NFL draft pick Stantley Thomas-Oliver, three others

Photo: Carolina Panthers

The B.C. Lions have signed American defensive back Stantley Thomas-Oliver, the team announced on Monday.

The 27-year-old was originally a seventh-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. He played 25 regular-season games over three seasons with the team and recorded 17 total tackles.

The native of Tallahassee, Fla. later had stints with the New York Giants and Detroit Lions, dressing for one regular-season game with the latter. According to Spotrac, he earned a little over $2.8 million USD playing in the NFL.

Thomas-Oliver played collegiately at Florida International, where he suited up at receiver before converting to defensive back. Defensively, he made 94 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, 20 pass breakups, two interceptions, two sacks, and two forced fumbles. He was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman team in 2016.

The Lions have also signed American offensive lineman Joshua Donovan, American defensive lineman Colby Taylor, and American defensive back Morice Norris.

Donovan was recently released by the Toronto Argonauts. The six-foot-six, 330-pound blocker dressed for 17 regular-season with the Montreal Alouettes in 2024, primarily playing right tackle.

Taylor recently attended rookie mini-camps with the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs after going unselected in the 2026 NFL Draft. The six-foot-three, 260-pound defender finished his collegiate career at West Florida, where he made eight tackles, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery over 11 games in 2025.

Norris signed with the Detroit Lions after going unselected in the 2024 NFL Draft and dressed for one regular-season game. The five-foot-eleven, 198-pound defender played collegiately at Orange Coast College and Fresno State, where he was named second-team All-Mountain West as a senior.

B.C. has also released four American players, including running back Peyton Barber, offensive lineman Brock Bethea, and defensive backs Bruce Harmon and Marc Stampley.

The B.C. Lions opened training camp on May 10. The team will play its first preseason game against the Edmonton Elks on Saturday, May 23 and its second preseason game against the Calgary Stampeders on Friday, May 29. Final roster cuts are due on Saturday, May 30, after which the Lions will play its first regular-season game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday, June 13.

B.C. recently selected North Dakota receiver Nate DeMontagnac with their first-round pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, adding to a group of Canadian targets that already included Justin McInnis and Jevon Cottoy. The team’s other major offseason additions include defensive lineman Casey Sayles and linebacker Darnell Sankey.

In 2025, the Lions 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.