Argonauts Sign Second-Round Pick Paris Shand, Also Add Akili Arnold, Elijah Young

The Toronto Argonauts announced Feb. 20 that second-round 2025 CFL Draft pick Paris Shand, plus American defensive back Akili Arnold and American running back Elijah Young, have signed ahead of 2026 training camp. Shand was the 19th overall pick in 2025 and the club said the trio are expected to be available for camp.

Shand brings measurable size and production to the Argos front - listed at 6'4", 268 pounds and described as a pass rusher - and carries college production from both LSU and Arizona. The Argonauts release credits him with 42 tackles, nine tackles for loss and four sacks in 26 games for LSU, while 3DownNation lists 41 tackles, nine tackles for loss and four sacks in 25 games and notes he started nine games in 2024. At Arizona he logged 41 tackles and five sacks over 24 games, with 3DownNation adding six tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery for that stint.

Shand’s pro day metrics underline his athletic ceiling: a 4.82 40-yard dash, 7.06 three-cone, 4.52 short shuttle, 17 reps of 225 lb on the bench, a 33.5-inch vertical and a 9-foot-7 broad jump were recorded at his 2025 pro day. His professional path has included signing with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent after the 2025 NFL Draft, attending Bills training camp before being waived in August, a September workout with the Cleveland Browns without a contract, and a brief roster addition then removal with the UFL’s Columbus Aviators earlier this offseason. That NFL and UFL activity gives Shand recent reps against higher-level competition ahead of his CFL transition.

Akili Arnold projects to add defensive back depth and tackling punch; the six-foot, 200-pound defender posted 60 tackles, one interception and two pass deflections in 12 games for USC in 2024 and amassed 150 tackles, three interceptions, 10 pass deflections, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery over 50 games at Oregon State during his first five collegiate seasons. Arnold’s tackle production and turnover numbers give the Argos a veteran collegiate profile in the secondary.

Elijah Young is listed simply as an American running back in the Feb. 20 announcement; no college, size or statistical details were provided in the available reports. Young’s signing arrives alongside the Argonauts’ existing 2025 draft‑class running back, Joey Zorn of Windsor, selected in Round 6 at pick 55, creating new competition at the position as the club finalizes backfield options.

The signings sit inside a larger Argonauts draft strategy that added eight Canadians in 2025, including Montreal product Jeremiah Ojo at pick 7, who posted 14.5 sacks over 24 USPORTS games and led USPORTS with 7.5 sacks in 2024 while showing a 4.59 40-yard dash and 25 bench reps at the CFL Combine. Bringing a Toronto native like Shand back into the city after NFL and UFL stints carries local marketing and cultural value for the club as it prepares for camp; the immediate business impact will hinge on how quickly Shand, Arnold and Young translate their measured production into roster roles when training camp opens.