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LB Benton, WR Rowan are Latest Additions to the Tiger-Cats
Now that the 2026 CFL Draft and the 2026 CFL Global Draft are complete, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats are changing their focus to the start of training camp for their rookies on Wednesday, May 6th. Hamilton's first round of cuts must be made by May 9th, giving the Tiger-Cats coaching staff three days to evaluate the newest additions to the 2026 roster. While Hamilton already has several new players working to make it past the first round of cuts, the Tiger-Cats continue to add prospects they want to get into camp to evaluate.
According to the Tiger-Cats and the CFL Transactions list, the newest additions for Hamilton are defensive tackle De'Jon Benton and wide receiver Kyrese Rowan.
American defensive tackle De'Jon Benton joins the CFL after college football at the University of Southern California (2019-2023), University of New Mexico (2024), and University of Hawaii (2025). At USC, standing 6'2" and 270 pounds, Benton played 34 games but managed only 18 solo tackles. He transferred to New Mexico in 2024 but never played for the Lobos. In 2025, he moved to Hawaii, appearing in 13 games and recording 21 solo tackles, 11 assists, 9.5 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks.
At 6'2", 270 pounds, Benton is relatively small when compared to the prototypical size for an NFL or CFL defensive tackle. However, Benton makes up for his lack of size with a quick first step, which gives him the upper hand against opposing offensive linemen. In addition, Benton does a great job of playing with leverage, including a low pad level, which is critical when playing as an undersized defensive lineman.
American wide receiver Kyrese Rowan has also been signed by the Tiger-Cats to attend training camp for evaluation. The 5'10", 185-pound Rowan has not allowed his lack of size to define him as a player. During his college football career, Rowan spent two seasons at the University of Utah (2020-2021), where he played defensive back, and two seasons at Utah State University (2022-2024), where he found his home as a wide receiver. Rowan played in 32 games for the Aggies, recording 47 receptions for 526 yards and 3 touchdowns.
In 2025, Rowan was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Denver Broncos and Rowan spent time on the Denver Broncos practice squad until February 2026. Rowan's versatility has allowed him to stand out and receive opportunities to continue his football career. Coming to the CFL, Rowan has established a reputation for being an outstanding route runner with reliable hands. If Rowan can earn a spot on the Tiger-Cats 2026 roster, he could end up being an outstanding check-down receiver for quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell.
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