The B.C. Lions have signed American defensive lineman Zeke Vandenburgh.
The six-foot-four, 235-pound pass rusher was a star at Illinois State University, suiting up in 51 games across six seasons. He amassed 256 total tackles, 43.5 tackles for a loss, 24 sacks, seven pass knockdowns, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and an interception as a Redbird. As a senior in 2022, he earned first-team All-American recognition and won the Buck Buchanan Award as the top defensive player in the FCS.
Notable former CFL players to win the Buck Buchanan Award include linebacker J.C. Sherritt and defensive lineman Greg Peach. The award’s most famous recipient is Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Jared Allen.
Vandenburgh went unselcted in the 2023 NFL Draft and signed with the Miami Dolphins as a free agent. He spent his first season on injured reserve before being released at the end of training camp the next year.
The 27-year-old played for the Memphis Showboats in the UFL last season, recording 37 total tackles and half a sack across eight games.
The B.C. Lions signed defensive lineman Casey Sayles and linebacker Darnell Sankey after they were released by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Montreal Alouettes, respectively, though the team was relatively inactive in free agency. The team’s major departure was All-CFL offensive lineman Jarell Broxton, who signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
The Lions hold the seventh overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28, at 7:00 p.m. EDT. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. B.C. will play its first preseason game against the Edmonton Elks on Saturday, May 23, and its first regular-season game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday, June 13.
In 2025, B.C. finished second in the West Division standings with an 11-7 record. They beat the Calgary Stampeders in the West Semi-Final but lost the West Final to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Franchise quarterback Nathan Rourke threw for 5,290 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions to be named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player.
