The Edmonton Elks signed 2023 Draft pick running back Derek Best (65th pick), running back J.D. Woods, wide receivers Quan Harrison and Gabriel Appiah-Kubi, and offensive lineman Tony Gray on Friday.
Derek Best is six foot one and weighs 200 pounds. The 23-year-old from Surrey, British Columbia, was drafted by the Elks in the eighth round (65th pick) of the 2023 CFL Draft. Best played his last two seasons for the Langley Rams (CJFL) with 105 carries for 708 yards, six touchdowns, ten carries for 79 yards, two touchdowns, two tackles, and one sack in 16 games.
Before the CJFL, Best played two seasons at Western (2018-19) with 14 carries for 33 yards, one carry for one yard, and one kick return for six yards in seven games for the Mustangs.
J.D. Woods is five foot eight and weighs 193 pounds. The 23-year-old from Lawrence, Kansas, had 217 carries for 1,377 yards, 25 touchdowns, 12 catches for 167 yards, two kick returns for 92 yards, and one touchdown in 11 games for the Wildcats in 2021.
Woods played four seasons at Baker University (2018-21). He was a three-time NAIA All-American and set NAIA career records with 6,666 rushing yards and 96 rushing touchdowns. After Baker, Woods was invited to the Seattle Seahawks rookie minicamp in 2022.
Quan Harrison is five foot nine and weighs 185 pounds. The 24-year-old from Greeneville, Tennessee, played two seasons at West Georgia (2019,2021) with 80 catches for 1,162 yards, six touchdowns, two carries for seven yards, 15 kick returns for 339 yards, seven punt returns for 144 yards, and one touchdown in 20 games for the Wolves. He was named Second Team All-GSC as a wide receiver and a return specialist.
Before West Georgia, Harrison played two seasons at East Tennessee State (2017-18) with 20 catches for 263 yards, one touchdown, two carries for four yards, 23 kick returns for 532 yards, 19 punt returns for 180 yards, and one touchdown in 19 games for the Buccaneers.
Gabriel Appiah-Kubi is five foot eleven and weighs 160 pounds. The 22-year-old from Brampton, Ontario, caught 26 passes for 309 yards, one carry for four yards, four kick returns for 40 yards, and three punt returns for 19 yards in 22 games for the Lions.
In March, he had had the fastest time in the 40-yard dash at the CFL Combine in Edmonton, stopping the clock at 4.44 seconds.
Tony Gray is six foot five and weighs 310 pounds. The 23-year-old from Loganville, Georgia, was named Second-Team All-SWAC in 2021, anchoring an offensive unit that gained more than 350 yards in five games for the Tigers.
He played 15 games in two seasons at Jackson State (2020-21), of which nine were starts. Before Jackson State, he played four games at Mississippi in 2018 and five games for UCF in 2019.
