Photo courtesy: Jacob Thompson/Central Washington Athletics

The B.C. Lions have signed four American defensive players for the 2026 season, including Central Washington standout Tanner Volk.

The six-foot-one, 189-pound safety received the Cliff Harris Award in 2023 as the top defensive player in NCAA Division II and was twice named an All-American. In 46 career games with the Wildcats, the native of Portland, Ore., amassed 307 total tackles, 24 interceptions, two defensive touchdowns, 42 pass breakups, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

Volk went unselected in the 2025 NFL Draft and attended rookie mini-camp with the Seattle Seahawks, but did not sign a contract. The Lions have had success scouting talent at Central Washington in the past, as it is the alma mater of future Hall of Famers Michael Reilly and Adam Bighill.

In addition to Volk, the Lions also added defensive lineman Mayan Ahanotu, defensive back Lorando Johnson, and defensive lineman D.J. Walden.

Ahanotu began his collegiate career at Minnesota before transferring to Rutgers, where he made 54 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in 45 games and was named an All-Big Ten honourable mention in 2023. The six-foot-three, 285-pound defensive tackle most recently suited up for the Indoor Football League’s Vegas Knight Hawks in 2025, where he registered 12 tackles and one blocked kick.

Johnson spent the majority of his collegiate career at Baylor, transferring to Arkansas as a redshirt junior in 2023 before returning to the Bears the next year. The five-foot-11, 182-pound cornerback appeared in 44 games between the two institutions, recording 64 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 23 pass breakups, a pair of interceptions, a forced fumble, and a defensive touchdown. The Lancaster, Tex., native attended rookie mini-camp with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2025 but did not receive a contract offer.

Walden attended Shorter University, a Division II program in Rome, Ga., where he produced 79 total tackles, four sacks, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 31 games. The six-foot-one, 250-pound pass rusher has spent the last two seasons with the Albany Firebirds of Arena Football One. The native of Atlanta, Ga., put up career-high numbers in 2025 with 22 total tackles, nine sacks, a forced fumble, and a pair of fumble recoveries in ten games.

The B.C. Lions finished second in the West Division standings in 2025 with an 11-7 record and beat the Calgary Stampeders in the West Semi-Final before losing the West Final to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Nathan Rourke threw for 5,290 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions over 16 regular-season starts, posting an 11-5 record. He was also named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player.

The Lions ranked first in net offence, fourth in net defence, and sixth with a turnover differential of minus-four. James Butler rushed for 1,213 yards, Keon Hatcher led the CFL with 1,688 receiving yards, and Micah Awe led the league with 117 tackles. B.C. finished third in attendance with average crowds of 27,124, which was a 0.9 percent increase from the previous year.