Bombers add pair of LBs, National punter Chris MacLean

CFL.ca Staff

WINNIPEG — The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have signed American linebackers Nate Givhan and Gee Stanley, along with National punter Chris MacLean.

Givhan (six-foot-four, 245 pounds) comes to the Blue Bombers following a college career with the Toledo Rockets where he appeared in 47 games from 2018-2022 and registered 97 total tackles, 16.5 tackles for a loss, 13 sacks, one interception, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

He capped his days at Toledo by helping the school edge the Liberty Flames 21-19 in the Boca Raton Bowl last December while being named the game’s defensive MVP.

Stanley (six-foot-two, 195 pounds) comes to the Bombers after a collegiate career that began at Robert Morris University (2016), continued at Coffeyville Community College (2018) and was completed at Emporia State (2019, 2021).

Stanley was the Northeast Conference Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2016 while at Robert Morris and was named a HERO Sports FCS Freshman All-American. He had 42 tackles and two sacks in 2018 at Coffeyville and in his final season at Emporia registered 67 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, three passes defended and one forced fumble.

He had signed to play for the Arkansas Attack of Major League Football in 2022 before the season was cancelled.

MacLean (six-foot-three, 195 pounds) comes to the Blue Bombers after a collegiate career with the Calgary Dinos that included being named a U SPORTS first-team All-Canadian and a Canada West All-Star in 2022. Last season, MacLean finished with an average of 46.5 yards per punt, with 11 landing inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. Of his 67 punts in 2022, 25 travelled 50 yards or more. He was also an injury replacement as a placekicker late in the year, kicking one 27-yard field goal on three attempts, while going 4-for-4 in convert attempts.

A transfer from the University of Toronto where he played from 2019-2021, MacLean was an OUA second-team All-Star in 2021.

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