Toronto Argonauts bring back UFL champion Willie Drew, sign one other

The Toronto Argonauts have signed American defensive back Willie Drew and Canadian fullback Wilt Gabriel.

Drew helped the DC Defenders win a UFL championship earlier this year, recording four total tackles, two pass knockdowns, and one interception over seven games. He also spent time on Toronto’s practice roster last season, including the team’s run to a Grey Cup victory in Vancouver, B.C.

The six-foot, 185-pound native of Smithfield, Va. played collegiately at Virginia State where he was named the CIAA Defensive Player of the Year in 2023. He attended training camp with the Carolina Panthers after going unselected in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Gabriel finished his collegiate career at Houston Christian in 2022 after stints at Coastal Carolina and Independence Community College.

The Toronto Argonauts (2-7) will visit the Edmonton Elks (2-6) at Commonwealth Stadium on Friday, August 15 with kickoff slated for 9:00 p.m. EDT. The Argonauts are coming off a 46-42 loss to the Ottawa Redblacks, while the Elks completed a comeback win over the Montreal Alouettes at Percival Molson Stadium.

The weather forecast in Edmonton calls for a high of 20 degrees with clouds rolling in late in the night. The game will be broadcast on TSN in Canada and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune-in on TSN 1050 in Toronto and 880 CHED in Edmonton.