Photo courtesy: Washington State Athletics
The Calgary Stampeders have added Washington State quarterback Zevi Eckhaus to their exclusive negotiations list.
Eckhaus’ CFL rights were previously held by the Montreal Alouettes, but he was removed from their negotiation list on November 25, 2025.
The redshirt senior from Culver City, Cal., appeared in 11 games this season for the Cougars, completing 193-of-307 pass attempts (62.8 percent) for 2,094 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He has also rushed for 371 yards and eight majors on the ground. He was named the PAC-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year and took home the Dolph Schayes Award for outstanding performance by a Jewish athlete.
Eckhaus transferred to Washington State in 2024 and appeared in just three games, starting the Holiday Bowl. He threw for 424 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions in that limited action, adding 28 yards and a rushing score.
The six-foot, 209-pound passer began his career at Bryant University, where he started 33 games over three seasons. Eckhaus amassed 8,527 passing yards, 75 touchdowns, and 25 interceptions, while running for 760 yards and five majors. He was named the NEC Rookie of the Year in 2021 and Big South Offensive Player of the Year in 2023, as well as a finalist for the Walter Payton Award as the top player in the FCS.
CFL teams can claim the rights to up to 45 players via the negotiation list on a first-come, first-served basis, provided that they are not eligible for the Canadian or Global Drafts, and have never played in the league before. These players can be added, traded, or removed from the list at any time.
Being added to a negotiation list does not mean that the player has expressed interest in the CFL, and some are unaware that their rights have even been claimed. Players can only force their removal from the list if the team does not provide them with a minimum contract offer at their request.
The Calgary Stampeders finished third in the West Division standings in 2025 with an 11-7 record, but lost the West Semi-Final to the B.C. Lions. Vernon Adams Jr. threw for 4,247 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions over 17 regular-season starts, posting an 11-6 record as the team’s starting quarterback.
The Stampeders ranked fourth in net offence, seventh in net defence, and second with a turnover differential of plus-nine. Dedrick Mills won the CFL’s rushing title with 1,409 yards, while the team’s leading receiver was Dominique Rhymes with 886 yards, and the leading tackler was Jacob Roberts with 102 tackles. Calgary finished fifth in attendance with average crowds of 22,295, which was a 3.5 percent increase from the previous year.