TIGER-CATS RE-SIGN COLLINS; AGREE TO TERMS WITH LANKSTER, WINGO AND HUGGINS

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced Friday that the football club has re-signed international free agent wide receiver Junior (Jasper) Collins. The team also agreed to terms with international free agent defensive back Ellis Lankster and running back Ronnie Wingo, as well as national linebacker Preston Huggins.

Collins, 24, started five games at receiver for the Tiger-Cats in his rookie CFL season in 2015, registering 10 receptions for 142 yards and a touchdown, and returning one punt for 11 yards. Prior to joining the Ticats, he spent time with the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns. The 5-10, 185-pound native of Geneva, New York suited up in 52 games at the University of Mount Union from 2009 to 2012, registering 232 receptions for 3,527 yards and 37 touchdowns.

Lankster, 28, has appeared in 49 career NFL games since 2009 with the Buffalo Bills (2009) and New York Jets (2011-2014), posting 72 combined tackles, one quarterback sack, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions and seven passes defended. Most recently, he rejoined the Bills for a brief stint during training camp in 2015 and was on the Detroit Lions practice roster for most of the 2014 season. In 2010, the 5-9, 190-pound native of Mobile, Alabama played one game with the Tiger-Cats, recording one defensive tackle and one special teams tackle before returning to the NFL the following season. Lankster was drafted out of West Virginia University by the Bills in the seventh round, 220th overall, in the 2009 NFL Draft.

Wingo, 25, spent part of the 2015 season on the Tiger-Cats practice roster after being released by the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons in May. Prior to joining the Falcons, Wingo played two games with the Bills in 2013, registering one carry for four yards and one reception for two yards. The 6-3, 231-pound native of St. Louis, Missouri posted 1,089 rushing yards, 610 receiving yards and 13 total touchdowns in four years at Arkansas from 2009 to 2012.

Huggins, 23, played 33 games at linebacker at Western University from 2011 to 2015, recording 104.5 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and one interception that he returned for a touchdown. The 2014 OUA First-Team All-Star was selected by Hamilton in the seventh round, 61st overall, in the 2015 CFL Draft. Huggins, a 5-11, 205-pound native of London, Ontario, attended training camp with the Tiger-Cats in 2015 and was converted from linebacker to fullback before returning to Western for his final season as a linebacker.