BCLions.com Staff
The BC Lions Football Club announced today that import receivers D.J. Woods and Elvis Akpla have signed with the team.
Woods was originally signed by the Lions during the CFL’s practice roster expansion period in October 2012 and spent the final weeks of the regular season with the club. Prior to coming to the Leos, he was signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in May 2012 and released in training camp.
During a four-year career at Cincinnati, Woods appeared in 51 games with 35 starts and notched 159 receptions for 2,156 yards and 14 touchdowns The speedy Ohio native also returned 45 punts for 375 yards and 33 kickoffs for 751 yards. As a senior in 2011 he started 13 games at slot receiver and caught 37 passes for 450 yards and two touchdowns. In 2010, he earned a Second-Team All-Big East honour after catching 57 passes for 898 yards and eight touchdowns while also serving as UC’s primary punt and kick returner.
Akpla joins the Lions after a brief training camp stint with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2012. The Portland, Oregon native wrapped up a dazzling three-year career as a Montana State Bobcat in 2011 with a First-Team All-Big Sky Conference selection after catching 63 passes for a school-record 1,165 yards and 11 touchdowns. In his career, Akpla racked up 126 receptions for a school-record 2,270 career yards and 18 touchdowns.
Both Woods and Akpla will take part in the club’s three-day mini-camp slated for April 16th to 18th at the Lions’ Surrey practice facility.
