Edmonton Elks Sign Three Players to Roster
The Edmonton Elks signed three Americans to the roster, adding wide receiver Tony Tate, linebacker Reynard Ellis and running back Justin Rankin.
Tate was a star wide receiver in the European League of Football last season playing for the Wroclaw Panthers. In 10 games, Tate recorded 895 yards receiving and finished second in the league in receiving touchdowns with 16. He previously was an All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honorable mention in 2021 for Western Illinois.
TRANSACTIONS | The Elks sign three players.
— Edmonton Elks (@GoElks) November 23, 2023
🇺🇸 Reynard Ellis (LB)
🇺🇸 Justin Rankin (RB)
🇺🇸 Tony Tate (WR)
DETAILS | https://t.co/sfTMZG3o1u
Make your next transaction with @PlayAlbertaCA | https://t.co/maFOe5uWmr#OurTeamOurCity #GoElks #CFL pic.twitter.com/BP22ozZays
Ellis played part of his college football days at UAB in 2022, recording 53 tackles in 13 games. Prior to UAB, he was a star linebacker at Georgia Southern earning first-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors by Pro Football Focus in 2020.
Rankin rushed for 1,050 yards and 13 touchdowns in 14 games for Northwest Missouri State in 2019 before turning pro. He has spent the last three seasons in the Indoor Football League playing for the Bismarck Bucks and Frisco Fighters before joining the Bay Area Panthers in 2023.
While playing for the Panthers, Rankin finished second in the IFL in rushing yards (923) and touchdowns (45). He played a key role in Bay Area winning its first IFL title at the end of the season.
The Elks signed a fourth player on Nov. 15, adding linebacker Markail Benton to the roster.
Edmonton went 4-14 in 2023 and missed the playoffs for the third straight season.
Elks Create Committee to Review Ownership Structure
You can follow Anthony Miller on X @ByAnthonyMiller.
Catch up with CFL on FanNation on Facebook and X.
Anthony Miller has been covering professional spring football since 2019 including XFL, USFL, and CFL. He was a local news reporter in Texas before transitioning to sports. Other sites he writes for includes College Football Network and NTZ Network.