Montreal Alouettes sign SMU standout Cale Sanders Jr.

Photo: SMU Athletics

The Montreal Alouettes have signed American defensive back Cale Sanders Jr.

The five-foot-ten, 189-pound defender finished his collegiate career at Southern Methodist University (SMU) where he made 79 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, nine pass knockdowns, three forced fumbles, one interception, and one sack over 28 games.

The 22-year-old native of Porter, Texas started his collegiate career at Fresno State University where he recorded 52 total tackles, two tackles for loss, nine pass knockdowns, three forced fumbles, and one interception over 26 games.

The Montreal Alouettes finished second in the East Division standings in 2025 with a 10-8 record and beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the East Final before losing the 112th Grey Cup to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Davis Alexander went 7-0 as a starter during the regular-season, though he missed 11 games due to a hamstring injury.

The Alouettes ranked eighth in net offence, first in net defence, and third with a turnover differential of plus-eight. The club’s leading rusher was Stevie Scott III with 418 yards, leading receiver was Tyler Snead with 1,129 yards, and leading tackler was Darnell Sankey with 103 tackles. Montreal finished sixth in attendance with average crowds of 21,132, which was a 0.8 percent decrease from the previous year.