Ottawa Redblacks sign three Americans, including former NFL linebacker Xavier Woodson-Luster

Courtesy: AP Photo/David Richard

The Ottawa Redblacks have signed three American players, linebackers Xavier Woodson-Luster and Troy Young, and offensive lineman Justice Powers.

Before arriving in the CFL, Woodson-Luster played 18 games in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns between 2017-2018 and made over $715,000 in career earnings. The six-foot-one, 220-pound Efaula, Alabama native amassed 12 total tackles in his NFL career. The 26-year-old also spent time with the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans.

Woodson-Luster spent four years at Arkansas State where he registered 293 total tackles, five sacks, and two interceptions in 47 games with the Redwolves. He was second-team all Sun Belt conference in 2015 and left school in 2016 as Arkansas State’s all-time leader in tackles.

Young spent three years at the University of Arizona before transferring to the University of Alabama at Birmingham for his final two collegiate seasons. The six-foot, 205-pound native of Prichard, Alabama had 27 tackles and one tackle for loss in his senior season with the Blazers. The 23-year-old had 20 tackles, one interception and three pass breakups in 29 games at Arizona.

Powers spent time with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from 2019 to 2021, but the Cedar Hill, Texas native never saw game action. The six-foot-three, 295-pound Powers was an undrafted free agent signee of the Los Angeles Rams in 2019 and was a seventh-round selection by the USFL’s Birmingham Stallions in the 2022 USFL Draft.

All additions are welcome ones to a roster that struggled mightily in 2021, particularly on defense. Heading into 2022, Ottawa’s arrow points upward but it remains a longshot in the East Division ([metabet_core_dynamic_odds market=”fbb/cfl_winner_east” query=”fbb/ottawa_redblacks” site_id=”playpicks”]) and Grey Cup ([metabet_core_dynamic_odds market=”fbb/cfl_winner” query=”fbb/ottawa_redblacks” site_id=”playpicks”]) conversations at sportsbooks in Ontario.