Photo: Dennis Silvas/Fresno State

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have signed American receiver Jaelen Gill and American linebacker Jayden McDonald.

Gill has had stints with the Los Angeles Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Ottawa Redblacks, and San Antonio Brahmas, though he’s yet to record a statistic at the professional level.

The 26-year-old native of Westerville, Ohio finished his collegiate career at Fresno State in 2023, where he made 49 catches for 516 yards and six touchdowns. He previously played at Boston College, where he made 80 receptions for 1,092 yards and two touchdowns, and Ohio State, where he caught seven passes for 51 yards and one score over eight games.

McDonald finished his collegiate career at the University of Connecticut, where he made 125 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, four pass knockdowns, and one interception over 13 games.

The six-foot, 235-pound native of Suwanee, Ga. previously played at Troy, where he made 191 total tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, three pass knockdowns, two fumble recoveries, one interception, and one forced fumble over 35 games. He also attended Iowa in 2018, though he didn’t register any statistics.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats added several talented players in free agency, including quarterback Tre Ford, receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr., linebacker Wynton McManis, and returner Mario Alford. The team’s key departures included running back Greg Bell (Ottawa Redblacks), receiver Tim White (Winnipeg Blue Bombers), offensive lineman Coulter Woodmansey (Edmonton Elks), and defensive back DaShaun Amos (Toronto Argonauts).

The Tiger-Cats hold the fifth overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. Hamilton will play its first preseason game against the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday, May 23 and its first regular-season game against the Montreal Alouettes on Thursday, June 4.

In 2025, Hamilton finished first in the East Division standings with an 11-7 record, though the team lost the East Final to the Montreal Alouettes.