The BC Lions announced on Tuesday the signing of 5 American players, including IFL Special Teams Player of the Year, Antonio Wimbush Jr. The Lions are also bringing back wide receiver Jared Gipson, who attended the Lions’ 2025 training camp. The Lions have also signed OL Josh Castro, OL Christian Olmstead, WR Kaedin Robinson, and RB Antonio Wimbush Jr.
WR Jared Gipson – Sacramento State (6’1, 205 lbs)
Gipson was with the Lions in training camp this past season and played in both preseason games, where he caught 4 passes for 39 yards. He played for Sacramento State from 2021 to 2024, appearing in 50 games and recording 147 receptions for 2,218 yards and 17 touchdowns. He was named Second-Team All-Big Sky in each of his final two seasons.
OL Josh Castro – Nevada (6’3, 310 lbs)
Castro spent the last two seasons in the Indoor Football League, starting with the Bay Area Panthers before joining the San Diego Strike Force. He played for multiple teams over his collegiate career. Castro played 10 games at Cal Lutheran in 2022, earning Second-Team All-Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors while helping the offense average 347.1 yards per game. He then transferred to Nevada for his senior season in 2023. He had earlier stops at Azusa Pacific, Angelo State, and Santa Monica Junior College.
OL Christian Olmstead – Findlay (6’4, 301 lbs)
Olmstead played his collegiate ball at Findlay University, appearing in 42 games from 2015 to 2018; in his senior year, the Oilers’ offense averaged 41.2 points and 492.4 yards per game.
He played previously in the CFL in 2021, spending time on the Montreal Alouettes practice roster. He was selected in the ninth round (71st overall) by the St. Louis BattleHawks in the 2023 XFL Draft and stayed with the team through 2024 training camp in the UFL.
WR Kaedin Robinson – Appalachian State (6’2, 205 lbs)
Robinson began his collegiate career with ASA College (JC), where he caught 37 passes for 879 yards and 9 touchdowns in 2019. He played for UCF (University of Central Florida) in 2021, where he played in 4 games with 1 start, recording 1 30-yard touchdown catch. He then played for Appalachian State from 2022-2024, playing in 34 games and catching 147 passes for 2,614 yards and 14 touchdowns. He earned First-Team All-Sun Belt honors as a senior in 2024.
RB Antonio Wimbush Jr. – Carson-Newman (5’9, 194 lbs)
Wimbush has spent the last four seasons in the Indoor Football League and recently won the IFL Championship with the Vegas Knight Hawks. He played in 19 games for the Night Hawks this past season, rushing 173 times for 765 yards and 26 touchdowns. He also added 45 receptions for 396 yards and 6 touchdowns. He earned IFL Special Teams Player of the Year after returning 44 kick returns for 854 yards and 5 touchdowns.
He played in 3 games for the Knight Hawks in 2024, rushing 22 times for 92 yards and 4 touchdowns, and catching 2 passes for 16 yards and 1 touchdown.
Wimbush played for the Iowa Barnstormers from 2022-2023, appearing in 23 games and rushing 253 times for 987 yards and 34 touchdowns. He also caught 64 passes for 591 yards and 11 touchdowns.
He played 45 games at Carson-Newman University from 2015 to 2019, rushing 572 times for 4,003 yards and 41 touchdowns, while adding 37 receptions for 527 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was the sixth player in school history with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons.
