Justin McInnis

Last updated

Justin McInnis
No. 18     BC Lions
2025, 18, Justin McInnis.jpg
McInnis with the BC Lions in 2025
Born: (1996-07-27) July 27, 1996 (age 29)
Pierrefonds, Quebec
Career information
StatusActive
CFL status National
Position(s) Wide receiver
Height6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Weight210 lb (95 kg)
College Arkansas State
CFL draft 2019, round: 1, pick: 6
Drafted by Saskatchewan Roughriders
Career history
As player
20192022 Saskatchewan Roughriders
2023–present BC Lions
Career highlights and awards
CFL All-Star 2024
CFL West All-Star 2024
Career stats

Justin McInnis (born July 27, 1996) is a Canadian professional football wide receiver for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Arkansas State. [1]

Contents

College career

McInnis played college football at Arkansas State. Before attending Arkansas State, McInnis played junior college football at Dodge City Community College, where he recorded 49 receptions for 964 yards and 7 touchdowns as a freshman. [2] During his career at Arkansas State, he played in 25 games, totaling 110 receptions for 1,548 yards and 10 touchdowns. [3]

Professional career

Saskatchewan Roughriders

McInnis was selected sixth overall in the 2019 CFL Draft by the Saskatchewan Roughriders. [4] Before being drafted by the Roughriders, McInnis attended minicamps tryouts for the Tennessee Titans and the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. [5] McInnis played in 14 games in his rookie season, and made 10 catches out of 18 passes thrown his way for 149 yards. [6]

After the 2020 CFL season was cancelled, McInnis returned in 2021, but spent much of his sophomore season on the injured list as he played in just six games and recorded five catches for 83 yards. [7] [6] During the 2022 season, he had the best game of his career, as he had six catches for 111 yards and one touchdown on August 19, 2022, against the BC Lions. [6] It was also the first touchdown of his professional career as he caught a four-yard pass from Mason Fine. [8] McInnis played in 13 regular season games in 2022 where he had 33 catches for 364 yards and two touchdowns. [6] He became a free agent upon the expiry of his contract on February 14, 2023. [9]

BC Lions

On February 14, 2023, it was announced that McInnis had signed with the BC Lions to a two-year contract. [10] In 2023, he played in all 18 regular season games where he had 46 receptions for 690 yards and five touchdowns. In the 2024 season, McInnis had a breakout year, where he recorded career-highs in all receiving categories, recording 92 receptions for 1,469 yards and seven touchdowns. [11] He became the first Canadian to lead the league in receiving yards since Andy Fantuz in 2010. [11] On July 13, 2024, McInnis tied a franchise record when he recorded 14 receptions and also had the sixth-highest receiving yardage total in Lions history with 243 yards. [11] At the end of the season, he was named a CFL West Division All-Star and CFL All-Star for the first time in his career. [11]

References

  1. "Justin McInnis". CFL.ca. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  2. "First-round draft pick Justin McInnis signed by Saskatchewan Roughriders". globalnews.ca. The Canadian Press. May 15, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  3. Dunk, Justin (March 28, 2019). "Canadian receiver Justin McInnis creates buzz at Arkansas State pro day". 3DownNation. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  4. "Roughriders sign first-round draft pick Justin McInnis – Sportsnet.ca". www.sportsnet.ca. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  5. TSN ca Staff (May 16, 2019). "Saskatchewan Roughriders sign first round draft pick, receiver Justin McInnis – TSN.ca". TSN. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Justin McInnis". Canadian Football League . Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  7. "Transactions – Football player trades and signings". Canadian Football League . Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  8. "BC Lions vs Saskatchewan Roughriders". Canadian Football League. August 19, 2022.
  9. "Transactions – Football player trades and signings". Canadian Football League . Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  10. "Lions Add '19 First Round Pick Justin McInnis". BC Lions. February 14, 2023.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Justin McInnis". BC Lions . Retrieved August 26, 2025.