The Montreal Alouettes announced on Monday the signing of American running back Jeffery Pittman and American offensive lineman Blake Bustard to two-year contracts (2026, 2027). Both players played their final collegiate seasons at Southern Mississippi University.
RB Jeffery Pittman (6’1, 215 lbs)
Jeffery Pittman, the 23-year-old native of Taylorsville, Mississippi, began his collegiate career at the Juco level at Hinds (MS), where he played in 2021 and 2022. He rushed 323 times over 2 seasons for 1,868 yards (5.78 average) and 34 touchdowns, and caught 25 passes for 192 yards and a touchdown.
He transferred to Mississippi St where he played in 11 games with 2 starts in 2023, rushing 54 times for 268 yards (4.96 average) and a touchdown, and catching 13 passes for 91 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Pittmann played his final NCAA season in 2025 with Southern Miss, playing in 11 games with 9 starts. He rushed 156 times for 695 yards (4.46 average) and 8 touchdowns while adding 24 receptions for 107 yards.
OL Blake Bustard (6’7, 317 lbs)
Blake Bustard, the 24-year-old native of Muskegon, Michigan, began his collegiate career at the D2 level with Wayne State University in 2021. He dressed for 9 games in 2021, seeing action in 5 games as a backup right tackle. In 2022, he started in all 10 of his games at right tackle and played every snap in seven games. In 2023, he started in all 9 of his games at left tackle. He earned a spot on the All-Academic GLIAC team in 2023 and received honorable mention on the Hansen Football All-American team in 2022.
He transferred to Eastern Michigan University in 2024, where he started in nine games. Bustard then moved to the University of Southern Mississippi in 2025, appearing in ten games for the Golden Eagles.
