Photo cortesy: Ariel Fox/Rutgers Athletics
The Edmonton Elks have signed Canadian linebacker Dariel Djabome, the team announced on Wednesday.
The native of Longueuil, Que. was the third overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft. He recently attended rookie mini-camp with the Washington Commanders but wasn’t offered a contract by the team.
Djabome played 47 collegiate games over four seasons with Rutgers University, where he made 192 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and one pass knockdown.
He served as a team captain in 2025, was named an All-Big Ten honourable mention by the media, and was a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which is awarded annually to the player with the best combination of academics, leadership, and on-field performance.
The six-foot-one, 233-pound defender was also a finalist for the Jon Cornish Trophy in 2024, which is awarded annually to the top Canadian player in NCAA football.
Djabome’s older brother, Rossini Sandjong-Djabome, was a seventh-round pick in the 2020 CFL Draft and played for Edmonton in 2021.
The Elks have also released American running back Antario Brown, Canadian receivers Kolby Hurford and Jackson Tachinski, American receivers Ayir Asante, Ketron Jackson Jr., and J.J. Jones, American offensive lineman Jason Laliberte Jr., and Canadian defensive back Jerrell Cummings.
All nine CFL teams are required to trim their rosters to 75 players (not including draft picks) by 11:59 p.m. local time on Tuesday, May 12.
The Edmonton Elks opened training camp on May 10. Edmonton will play its first preseason game against the B.C. Lions 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 team will play its first regular-season game against the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday, June 6.
Calgary recently selected Rutgers linebacker Dariel Djabome with their first-round pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, adding a key piece to pair with fellow Canadian linebacker Joel Dublanko. The team’s other major offseason additions include receiver Austin Mack, offensive lineman Coulter Woodmansey, and defensive lineman Malik Carney.
In 2025, the Elks finished fifth in the West Division standings with a 7-11 record, missing the playoffs for the fifth straight season.
