The Ottawa Redblacks re-signed wide receiver Jaelen Ackin and offensive lineman Jacob Ruby to contract extensions on Friday. Ackin’s new deal runs through the 2024 season, and Ruby’s through the 2025 season.
Jaelen Ackin is six foot two and weighs 190 pounds. The 27-year-old from Mountain View, Missouri, caught 75 passes for 1,169 yards, and two touchdowns in 15 games for the Redblacks in 2022. He is a two-time CFL East All-Star (2021-22).
“I love the city, the people, the environment,” said Acklin. “Nothing brings me more joy than running into a REDBLACKS fan and just talking to them or taking pictures. I want to win for the City of Ottawa, because they deserve it. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
Before the CFL, Ackin signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2018 and participated in training camp before being released. In 2019, Ackin signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. In his rookie season, Ackin made 58 catches for 708 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games. The next season, Ackin made 50 catches for 678 yards, four touchdowns, and one carry for five yards in 14 games on his way to being named a CFL East All-Star for the first time.
Collegiately, Ackin played four seasons at Western Illinois (2014-17) with 105 catches for 1,733 yards, 12 touchdowns, 21 carries for 255 yards, four touchdowns, three kick returns for 25 yards, and four punt returns for four yards in 44 games for the Leathernecks.
Jacob Ruby is six foot seven and weighs 325 pounds. The 30-year-old from London, Ontario, played 18 games for the Redblacks in 2022. He was named a CFL East All-Star.
“I’m extremely excited to be staying in Ottawa. We have unfinished business here and I wanted to be a part of bringing a lot of success back to this franchise,” said Ruby. “The people we have in this organization made this decision extremely easy and I am fired up about continuing to work with them. There’s nowhere else my family and I wanted to be. We love wearing red and black!”
Before Ottawa, the Montreal Alouettes drafted Ruby in the first round (8th pick) in the 2015 CFL Draft. Ruby played 20 games in two seasons in Montreal before signing with the Edmonton Eskimos (Elks) in 2017. Ruby played 43 games for Edmonton before signing with Ottawa in 2022.
Collegiately, Ruby played 48 games in four seasons at Richmond (2011-14) playing left tackle for the Spiders. He was named All-CAA Third-Team and Second-Team VaSID All-State in 2014.
In addition to the re-signings, the Redblacks signed former Texas Southern offensive lineman Drake Centers. Drake Centers is six foot four and weighs 300 pounds.
The 23-year-old from Tatum, Texas, played 19 games in four seasons at Texas Southern (2019-22) playing right tackle for the Tigers. He earned All-SWAC honors in 2021.
The Tigers’ offensive line helped TSU finish with 4,293 yards of offense. TSU finished the 2021 season ranked second in total offense, second in rush offense, and third in pass offense.
