Elks add eight to roster, release two

CFL.ca Staff

EDMONTON — The Elks also announced a host of moves on Wednesday, signing Blaise Barber (LS), Kenan Clarke (DB), Kevin Dubois (RB), Alex Gayle (RB), Shaquille Hill (WR), Caleb Lightbourn (K), Tremaine Ross (WR) and Christian Saulsberry (WR).

Blaise Barber (LS) McMaster 
The six-foot-two, 250-pound Barber has played four seasons of U Sports football at McMaster University, totaling 16 tackles including 7 solo over his career. He was part of the 2019 OUA championship-team winning Marauders team in 2019. He was selected to play in the 2022 U SPORTS East-West Bowl, the annual university all-star showcase game which took place on May 7 in Hamilton.

Kenan Clarke (DB) Cornell
A sixth round draft pick of the Elks in 2021, Clarke spent three seasons at Cornell University (2018-2021), recording 48 total tackles, one sack, two interceptions and 10 pass deflections in 19 games. Prior to Cornell, the Ontario native was named one of the top 100 players in Canada by CanadaFootballChat.com.

Kevin Dubois (RB) Montreal
A five-foot-10 native of Laval, QC, Dubois played at Montmorency College before going to the University of Montreal to compete at the U SPORTS level. He helped the Carabins win the RSEQ championship in consecutive seasons (2019 and 2021) and advance to the Vanier Cup in 2019. Dubois took part in the Quebec regional combine prior to the 2022 CFL Draft.

Alex Gayle (RB) Edmonton Huskies
Gayle played two seasons with the Edmonton Huskies of the Prairie Football League (2019-2021). The local product combined for 1,264 yards and 15 touchdowns in 17 career regular season games, while adding 257 yards and three touchdowns in two playoff games last season.

Shaquille Hill (WR) Eastern Washington
Hill previously attended training camp with the Edmonton in 2018 and was signed by the BC Lions in 2019. After going undrafted in the 2017 NFL Draft, he signed with the Houston Texans in 2017 and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2018. The California native is a former All-Big Sky Conference selection in 2016 with career college numbers including 178 catches for 2,818 yards with 32 touchdowns and another 2,280 yards on 94 kickoff returns with a pair of majors.

Caleb Lightbourn (K) Idaho
The six-foot-four Lightbourn played last season with the Idaho Vandals, playing in all seven games, averaging 40.2 yards per punt and 2,141 yards on kickoffs, with 25 touchbacks. The Washington, Wash., native played his previous three seasons at Nebraska (2016-2018), recording 6,062 yards on punts and 3,345 yards on kickoffs in 33 games.

Tremaine Ross (WR) Charleston
At five-foot-eight, the undersized Ross spent three seasons (2017-2019) with the University of Charleston. The Detroit, Mich., native had 784 yards receiving and seven touchdowns in 30 games for the Cougars.

Christian Saulsberry (WR) West Alabama
Saulsberry was an All-Gulf South Conference selection in both of his years (2018, 2019) at West Alabama. As a senior, he led the Tigers with 1,223 all-purpose yards, including a team-high 23 kickoff returns for 614 yards. He was first in the Gulf South Conference with 838 kickoff return yards on 29 returns as a junior. A native of Southaven, Miss., Saulsberry previously played at Itawamba Community College where he had 41 receptions for 510 yards and two touchdowns as a sophomore in 2017 when he was named MACJC First Team All-State.

In addition to the new signings, the Elks released Americans Darion DeBrossard (DL) and Matthew Wilkerson (DL), while adding Derrick Baity (DB), Sherman Badie (RB), Ryan Meskell (K) and Wihan Van Der Riet (K) to the suspended list.

The club opened its rookie camp on Wednesday morning, with main camp opening Sunday, May 15 at The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium.

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