Edmonton Elks add QB Tayven Jackson to negotiation list

Photo: Madison Morris/North Texas Athletics

The Edmonton Elks have added American quarterback Tayven Jackson to their negotiation list. The move was reflected on the CFL’s official tracker on Monday.

The 22-year-old has completed 37-of-54 pass attempts for 425 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception through two games at the University of North Texas this season, going 1-1 as a starter. The redshirt senior has also rushed 13 times for 37 yards and one score.

The six-foot-four, 212-pound passer originally committed to the University of Tennessee in 2022, where he threw for 37 yards in limited action. He spent the next two seasons at Indiana University, where he completed 61.2 percent of his passes for 1,263 yards, six touchdowns, and six interceptions, going 3-3 as a starter.

The native of Greenwood, Ind. played at the University of Central Florida in 2025, where he completed 63.5 percent of his passes for 2,151 yards, 10 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He went 4-6 as a starter.

In a corresponding move, the Elks dropped the rights to American linebacker Kyron Johnson.

CFL teams can claim the rights to up to 45 players via the negotiation list on a first-come, first-served basis, provided that they are not eligible for the Canadian or Global Drafts, and do not have CFL veteran status. These players can be added, traded, or removed from the list at any time.

Being added to a negotiation list does not mean that the player has expressed interest in the CFL, and some are unaware that their rights have even been claimed. Players can only force their removal from the list if the team does not provide them with a minimum contract offer at their request.

The Edmonton Elks (10-3) will visit the Toronto Argonauts (7-6) at BMO Field on Saturday, September 19 with kickoff scheduled for 3:00 p.m. EDT. Last week, the Elks dominated the Calgary Stampeders in the annual Labour Day Classic rematch, while the Argonauts beat Ottawa thanks to a walk-off field goal from Lirim Hajrullahu.

The game will be broadcast on TSN, CTV, RDS, and Crave in Canada, and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune-in on 880 CHED in Edmonton or TSN 1050 in Toronto.