The Edmonton Elks have signed four Americans to their training camp roster, including defensive backs Kalon Barnes and Braxton Clark, and receiver Jacob Copeland and C.J. Hutton.
Barnes rose to prominence at the 2022 NFL Combine when he ran a 4.23-second forty-yard dash, the third-fastest electronic time in the event’s history. The six-foot, 186-pound cornerback was selected 242nd overall in the seventh round of that year’s NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers and spent time with the Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, and Cleveland Browns over the next three seasons, dressing for two games. He was most recently under contract with the UFL’s San Antonio Brahmas but did not see game action.
Prior to his professional career, the native of Silsbee, Tex. converted from receiver to defensive back as a freshman at Baylor. He went on to play 41 games for the Bears, making 69 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, 17 pass breakups, and three interceptions.
Clark wrapped up his college career at the University of South Florida in 2023, where he recorded 26 tackles, one tackle for loss, six pass break-ups, and one interception in 10 games. The six-foot-four, 204-pound defender previously played 34 games over five seasons at Nebraska, where he made 22 tackles, one tackle for loss, four pass breakups, and a pick.
Copeland has spent parts of two seasons in the NFL as an undrafted free agent, spending time with the Tennessee Titans, Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs, and Pittsburgh Steelers without ever seeing regular-season action. He was most recently under contract with the UFL’s DC Defenders but did not make the final roster.
The five-foot-11, 201-pound target finished his college career at the University of Maryland, catching 26 passes for 376 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games. He previously played 40 games for the University of Florida, catching 86 passes for 1,366 yards and nine touchdowns. The Pensacola, Fla. product first gained national recognition during his recruiting commitment in 2018, when his mother infamously walked out after he chose the Gators over her beloved Alabama Crimson Tide.
Hutton joins the Elks after spending the last five seasons at UC Davis. The five-foot-nine, 180-pound speedster caught 169 passes for 1,894 yards and 11 touchdowns in 51 games, while rushing 90 times for 452 yards and six majors.
The Edmonton Elks finished fourth in the West Division in 2024 with a record of 7-11, missing the playoffs for the fourth straight year. The team will open its 2025 regular season by visiting the B.C. Lions at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver on Saturday, June 7 with kickoff slated for 10:00 p.m. EDT.
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