The Edmonton Elks signed linebacker Nick Anderson and defensive back James Wiggins on Monday.
Nick Anderson is five foot eleven and weighs 230 pounds. The 24-year-old from Vicksburg, Mississippi, signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent on May 12, 2023. He played three preseason games with eight tackles (4 solo, 4 assists) and one pass breakup.
Collegiately, Anderson played four seasons at Tulane University (2019-22) with 275 tackles (171 solo, 104 assists), 27 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, six pass breakups, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one blocked punt, one carry for three yards, and one kick return for nine yards in 49 games for the Mean Green. He was named Fourth Team All-American by Phil Steele in 2021.
In his senior season, Anderson made 105 tackles (56 solo, 49 assists), seven tackles for loss, two sacks, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles, one blocked punt, one carry for three yards, and one kick return for nine yards in 13 games. He was named Second Team All-AAC in 2022.
James Wiggins Jr. is six foot and weighs 205 pounds. The 26-year-old from Miami, Florida, made nine tackles (6 solo, 3 assists), two interceptions for 25 yards, one forced fumble, and two pass breakups in three games for the New Orleans Breakers in 2023. The Elks signed Wiggins on December 18, 2023, but released him a day later to pursue other opportunities.
In the 2023 South Division Finals against the Birmingham Stallions, Wiggins Jr. made three tackles (1 solo, 2 assists) and one fumble recovery. The Breakers signed Wiggins as a free agent on May 30, 2023.
Before New Orleans, Wiggins Jr. was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the seventh round (243rd pick) of the 2021 NFL Draft and was placed on the practice squad. Wiggins Jr. later had stints with the Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers before heading to New Orleans.
Collegiately, Wiggins Jr. played four seasons at Cincinnati (2017-20) with 87 tackles (62 solo, 25 assists), three tackles for loss, one sack, five interceptions for 83 yards, one touchdown, 16 pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and 13 kick returns for 272 yards in 32 games for the Bearcats. He was named Second All-AAC in 2018 and Second Team All-American in 2020.
