The Winnipeg Blue Bombers signed ten players in a span of two days. Among the players signed were three draft picks with defensive lineman Tanner Schmekel (35th overall), running back Jonathan Rosery (62nd overall), and defensive lineman Collin Kornelson (44th overall).
In addition, Winnipeg signed quarterbacks Cooper Callis, Josh Jones, and Tyrrell Pigrome, wide receivers Otis Lanier, Michael O’Shea, and Matt Cole, and defensive end/long-snapper Damian Jackson.
Tanner Schmekel is six foot two and weighs 300 pounds. The 23-year-old from Regina Saskatchewan, was named U SPORTS First-Team All-Canadian and Canada West All-Star in 2022 after making 22 tackles (12 solo, 10 assists), 9.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, and one pass breakup in nine games for the Rams.
Schmekel played four seasons at the University of Regina (2017-18, 2021-22) with 58 tackles (27 solo, 31 assists), 9.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, and one pass breakup in 24 games.
In addition, Schmekel played one season for the Regina Thunder (CJFL) with 14 tackles (9 solo, 5 assists) and one forced fumble in five games. He is a three-time University of Regina Defensive Lineman of the Year.
Jonathan Rosery is five foot nine and weighs 193 pounds. The 23-year-old from Edmonton, Alberta, was named a Canada West All-Star in 2022 with 36 carries for 160 yards, 29 catches for 536 yards, and two touchdowns in six games for the Golden Bears. Rosery played three seasons at the University of Alberta (2019, 2021-22) with 118 carries for 564 yards, one touchdown, 75 catches for 1,151 yards, six touchdowns, and ten kick returns for 211 yards in 19 games.
Collin Kornelson is six foot three and weighs 240 pounds. The 23-year-old from Winnipeg, Manitoba, was a team captain in 2022 with 14 tackles (8 solo, 6 assists), 1.5 tackles for loss, and one sack in four games for the Bisons.
Kornelson played four seasons at the University of Manitoba (2018-19, 2021-22) with 45 tackles (28 solo, 17 assists), 2.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and one pass breakup in 16 games. In addition, Kornelson minor football for the Valour Patriots and then the St. Paul’s Crusaders.
Cooper Callis is six foot three and weighs 215 pounds. The 23-year-old from Jackson, Missouri, completed 219 of 319 passes (69%) for 2,894 yards, 28 touchdowns, 8 interceptions, 70 carries for 264 yards, and three touchdowns for the Bearcats in 2022.
Callis played three seasons at Southwest Baptist (2020-22) completing 598 of 877 passes (68%) for 7,712 yards, 73 touchdowns, 22 interceptions, 181 carries for 407 yards, and five touchdowns in 25 games. Before Southwest Baptist, Callis played one season at Fullerton College in 2019 completing 38 of 58 passes (65.5%) for 545 yards, four touchdowns, three interceptions, 32 carries for 233 yards, and four touchdowns in nine games for the Hornets.
Josh Jones is six foot three and weighs 220 pounds. The 22-year-old from Wilmington, North Carolina, completed 216 of 367 passes (59%) for 2,302 yards, 13 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 116 carries for 219 yards, and ten touchdowns for the Braves in 2022.
Jones played five seasons at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (2018-22) completing 923 of 1,538 passes (60%) for 10,148 yards, 70 touchdowns, 34 interceptions, 354 carries for 478 yards, 17 touchdowns, and one punt for 31 yards in 46 games.
Tyrrell Pigrome is five foot ten and weighs 200 pounds. The 25-year-old from Birmingham, Alabama, played one season at Towson University in 2022 completing 155 of 274 passes (57%) for 1,638 yards, 14 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 134 carries for 574 yards, and two touchdowns in 11 games for the Tigers.
Before Towson, he played four years at the University of Maryland (2016-19) completing 152 of 268 passes (57%) for 1,777 yards, 9 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 176 carries for 630 yards, and 8 touchdowns in 34 games for the Terrapins.
Then, he transferred to Western Kentucky in 2020, completing 171 of 297 passes (58%) for 1,603 yards, two interceptions, 105 carries for 337 yards, and four touchdowns in 11 games for the Hilltoppers. After Western Kentucky, he went to Ole Miss but did not play.
Otis Lanier is five foot ten and weighs 185 pounds. The 25-year-old from Houston, Texas, played two seasons at Howard Payne University (2021-22) with 112 catches for 1,762 yards, 20 touchdowns, 8 carries for 77 yards, 21 kick returns for 402 yards, 10 punt returns for 166 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions and six tackles in 20 games for the Yellow Jackets.
He was named First Team All-Region by D3football.com in 2022 after making 66 catches for 955 yards, 11 touchdowns, seven carries for 62 yards, 10 kick returns for 184 yards, 9 punt returns for 166 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and two tackles in 10 games.
Michael O’Shea is six foot and weighs 185 pounds. The 23-year-old from Winnipeg, Manitoba, is the son of current Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea. He played two seasons for the Okanagan Sun of the British Columbia Conference.
In 2021, he caught 27 passes for 654 yards, 11 touchdowns, four kick returns for 44 yards, and 37 punt returns for 528 yards, and two touchdowns in nine games. He was named a CJFL First-Team All-Canadian as a receiver in 2021.
In 2022, O’Shea caught 35 passes for 647 yards, nine touchdowns, nine carries for 65 yards, 14 kick returns for 362 yards, 47 punt returns for 678 yards, and three touchdowns in 12 games.
Matt Cole is five foot ten and weighs 197 pounds. The 26-year-old from Chicago, Illinois, was on the Washington Commanders practice squad in 2022. Before Washington, he signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2020.
He later signed with the San Francisco 49ers in 2020, making his debut in the regular season finale with two tackles on special teams. Later, Cole had stints with the New York Jets, New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, and Seattle Seahawks.
Collegiately, Cole played three seasons at McKendree University (2017-19) with 85 catches for 1,417 yards, 16 touchdowns, 46 carries for 313 yards, one touchdown, 43 kick returns for 1,333 yards, three touchdowns, 16 punt returns for 251 yards, one touchdown, and 18 tackles in 31 games for the Bearcats.
Damian Jackson is six foot two and weighs 263 pounds. The 30-year-old from Las Vegas, Nevada, played one season at the University of Buffalo in 2022 with 26 tackles (9 solo, 17 assists), 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, and one fumble recovery in 11 games for the Bulls.
Before Buffalo, Jackson spent five seasons at the University of Nebraska (2018-21) with 11 tackles (4 solo, 7 assists) and half tackle for loss in 20 games for the Cornhuskers. He won the Armed Forces Merit Award in 2021.
