BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Former Samford star wide receiver Kelvin McKnight has signed a one-year contract with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the organization announced Wednesday.
 
McKnight was a two-time All-America selection while at Samford, earning second-team honors in 2017 and first-team distinction in 2018. He was named All-SoCon three straight seasons, being named to the second team in 2016 and the first team in both 2017 and 2018. McKnight was named the SoCon Freshman of the Year in 2015.
 
McKnight rewrote the Samford receiving record book during his stellar career with the Bulldogs. He owns the school’s career records for receptions (313), receiving yards (4,144) and touchdown receptions (32). He also has the single-season mark for receiving yards with 1,453 yards as a senior in 2018.
 
During his Samford career, McKnight tallied 23 100-yard receiving games, including reaching the mark in 10 of the team’s 11 games in his senior season. He also had at least one touchdown catch in 21 games, including a career-high three at Western Carolina in 2017 and at Youngstown State in the 2016 NCAA Division I FCS playoffs.
 
McKnight helped lead his teams to back-to-back FCS postseason appearances in 2016 and 2017. The back-to-back playoff bids marked the first time a Samford team had reached the postseason in two straight seasons since the 1991 and 1992 campaigns.
 
McKnight was an undrafted free agent after finishing his Samford career. He was signed to the Denver Broncos’ practice squad in the middle of the 2019 season but was waived by the team in early 2020.
 
The Blue Bombers are scheduled to open the 2021 season on Aug. 5, when the team hosts the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at 7:30 p.m. (CT).