Defensive lineman Deionte Knight among four Canadians signed by Ottawa Redblacks

By The Canadian Press on December 17, 2024.

Toronto Argonauts defensive linemen Deionte Knight, left, and linebacker Jordan Williams, right, close in on Calgary Stampeders quarterback Jake Maier during first-half CFL football action in Calgary, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023. Knight was among four Canadian players signed by the Ottawa Redblacks on Tuesday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

OTTAWA – Defensive lineman Deionte Knight was among four Canadian players signed by the Ottawa Redblacks on Tuesday.

The six-foot-three, 278-pound Knight split last season between Toronto and Hamilton. Knight dressed for two games with the Argonauts before being signed off the practice roster by the Tiger-Cats on July 3.

Knight, of Ajax, Ont., appeared in 14 games with Hamilton.

Ottawa also signed offensive lineman Cooper Hamilton and receivers Jeremy Murphy and Darius Simmons.

Hamilton attended Ottawa’s training camp last season before returning to Laurier. The six-foot-seven, 310-pound native of Innisfil, Ont., was a second-team OUA all-star in 2022-23 and helped the Golden Hawks reach the ’24 Vanier Cup.

Murphy spent the last two seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, appearing in three regular-season games. Simmons was a three-time All-Canadian at McGill and had 29 catches for 611 yards and two TDs in nine games in 2024

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 17, 2024.