The Winnipeg Blue Bombers signed quarterback Darren Grainger, and defensive linemen Taylor Upshaw and Devin Adams while releasing quarterback Eric Barriere, defensive lineman Jabari Ellis, and defensive back Anthony Witherstone on Saturday.
Darren Grainger is six foot four and weighs 225 pounds. The 23-year-old from Conway, South Carolina, went undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft and attended the New York Jets rookie minicamp.
Collegiately, Grainger played two seasons at Furman University (2018-19) completing 92 of 188 passes (49%) for 1,403 yards, 15 touchdowns, five interceptions, 135 carries for 349 yards, and five touchdowns in 18 games for the Paladins. He was named to the Southern Conference All-Freshman Team in 2019.
Then, Grainger transferred to Georgia State (2021-23) completing 496 of 799 passes (62%) for 5,936 yards, 51 touchdowns, 17 interceptions, 421 carries for 1,989 yards, 17 touchdowns, and two tackles (2 solo) in 35 games for the Panthers. In 2023, Grainger completed 202 of 299 passes (68%) for 1,964 yards, 16 touchdowns, seven interceptions, 136 carries for 666 yards, eight touchdowns, and two tackles (2 solo) in 11 games.
In the 2023 Famous Idaho Potatoes Bowl against Utah State, Graninger completed 19 of 22 passes (86.4%) for 257 yards, three touchdowns, 24 carries for 111 yards, and two touchdowns leading the Panthers to a 45-22 win, and was named the Bowl’s MVP. In addition, Grainger was named a two-time All-Sun Belt Conference Honorable Mention, MVP of the 2021 TaxAct Camellia Bowl, and the Davey O’Brien Award Class of 2023.
Taylor Upshaw is six foot five and weighs 255 pounds. The 24-year-old from Bradenton, Florida, attended the Carolina Panthers rookie minicamp in 2024.
Collegiately, Upshaw played four seasons at Michigan (2019-22) making 36 tackles (21 solo, 15 assists), 10.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, one interception, one pass breakup, and one forced fumble in 37 games for the Wolverines.
Then, Upshaw transferred to Arizona in 2023 making 31 tackles (16 solo, 15 assists), 11.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, one pass breakup, and one forced fumble in 13 games for the Wildcats. He was named an All-PAC 12 Conference Honorable Mention and on the Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List.
Devin Adams is six foot two and weighs and weighs 286 pounds. A native of Pembroke Pines, Florida, Adams attended the New England Patriots rookie minicamp in 2024.
Collegiately, Adams played three seasons at Peru State College (2021-23) making 156 tackles (94 solo, 62 assists), 59 tackles for loss, 20.5 sacks, five pass breakups, two forced fumbles, three kickoffs for 117 yards, 131 punts for 5,225 yards (39.9 AVG) with a long of 65 yards, six touchbacks, 20 fair catches, 49 punts from inside the 20-yard line, 19 from 50-plus yards, completed 6 of 7 passes (86%) for 161 yards, and 11 carries for 97 yards in 31 games for the Bobcats.
Adams was named a two-time First Team All-Conference as a punter and defensive lineman, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, two-time First Team All-American, and Third Team All-American Award.
Eric Barriere is six foot one and weighs 210 pounds. The 26-year-old from Inglewood, California, attended rookie minicamp for the Denver Broncos in 2022 but was never offered a contract.
The Michigan Panthers signed Barriere on May 20, 2022. He played two games completing 14 of 24 passes (58.3%) for 118 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and two carries for 13 yards. Barriere spent a season and a half with the Michigan Panthers.
In 2023, Barriere was on the Panthers and Generals practice squads in 2023 after New Jersey claimed him off waivers on May 30, 2023. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers signed Barriere on January 18, 2024. He played one preseason game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders completing 3 of 6 passes (50%) for 23 yards, and one interception.
Collegiately, Barriere played five seasons at Eastern Washington (2017-21) completing 1,007 of 1,623 passes (62%) for 13,809 yards, 121 touchdowns, 29 interceptions, 376 carries for 1,585 yards, 22 touchdowns, and three catches for 16 yards in 51 games for the Eagles.
He is a two-time Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year, two-time First Team All-Big Sky, two-time Third Team All-Big Sky, and a 2021 Walter Payton Award Winner.
Jabari Ellis is six foot three and weighs 290 pounds. The 26-year-old from Vance, South Carolina, signed with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent on May 13, 2022, but was released on July 26, 2022.
In 2022, he played two games registering two tackles for Montreal. He signed with the Alouettes as a free agent on September 6, 2022. In 2023, Ellis spent part of the season on the Montreal Alouettes practice squad before he was released on July 3, 2023. Ellis signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on May 9, 2024. He played one preseason game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders making one tackle.
Collegiately, Ellis played two seasons at Georgia Military College (2016-17) with 36 tackles (27 solo, 9 assists), 13 tackles for loss, five sacks, and one pass breakup in 21 games for the Bulldogs. Then, he transferred to South Carolina (2018-21) with 81 tackles (44 solo, 37 assists), 8.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, and two pass breakups in 35 games, of which 22 were starts for the Gamecocks.
Anthony Witherstone is six foot two and weighs 193 pounds. The 24-year-old from Warwick, Rhode Island, signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent on May 8, 2023. Witherstone made one tackle (1 solo) in one preseason game for the Kansas City Chiefs against the New Orleans Saints in 2023 before he was waived from injured reserve on August 21, 2023.
Then, Witherstone was drafted by the St. Louis Battlehawks (XFL) in the 2023 XFL Rookie Draft. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers signed Witherstone on March 12, 2024. Witherstone played one preseason game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders making one tackle.
Collegiately, Witherstone played six seasons at Merrimack University (2017-22) with 74 tackles (55 solo, 19 assists), two tackles for loss, four interceptions for 59 yards, two touchdowns, 19 pass breakups, and one forced fumble in 35 games for the Warriors.
