Montreal signs Abilene Christian star Javon Gipson through 2027

Montreal did not sign a camp flyer. It signed a proven FCS problem-solver in Javon Gipson, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound receiver from Richmond, Texas whose size and production made him one of Abilene Christian’s most reliable passing-game answers.

The Alouettes gave Gipson a two-year contract that runs through 2027 after a college career that included 87 catches for 1,357 yards and eight touchdowns in 26 games. That is the kind of body of work CFL teams chase when they want a receiver who can win above the rim, handle contact and turn a third-down throw into a first down. Gipson’s 2025 season was the clearest proof point: 64 receptions, 1,022 yards and six touchdowns, production that made him just the third player in Abilene Christian’s Division I era to top 1,000 receiving yards in a season.

That output brought recognition too. ACU listed Gipson as a FCS Football Central All-America Third Team selection for 2025, and wide receivers coach AK Filani publicly pointed to Gipson’s All-American season in March. The Saints also took notice, inviting Gipson to rookie minicamp on April 27 before Montreal moved to secure him. For a receiver who was not a headline recruit coming out of Texas, the path tells the story: big numbers at the FCS level, award-level recognition and now a pro opportunity that extends beyond the NFL bubble.

Montreal’s timing matters. The Alouettes were already reshaping the roster in early May as camp opened in Quebec City, where the 2026 training camp ran from May 10 through May 29. Gipson landed in the middle of that shuffle, a sign that Montreal viewed him as more than a developmental body. In a league that rewards receivers who can work the middle, play through contact and create mismatches in the red zone, his frame gives him an immediate role to chase.

For Abilene Christian, the signing is another case study in how FCS production keeps cashing checks at the next level. Gipson’s deal reinforces ACU’s reputation as a program that can develop NFL- and CFL-caliber talent, and it sharpens a larger truth about the subdivision: receivers with size, efficiency and multi-season production still force their way onto pro radars. Montreal bet on the résumé, and Gipson’s ACU run gave them enough evidence to make that bet through 2027.