TOWSON, Md. – Former Towson University linebacker Malik Tyne is off to the professional ranks as the Ontario native was taken by the Edmonton Eskimos in the Canadian Football League (CFL) Draft on Thursday night.
Tyne was selected in the 3rd round and 24th overall by the Eskimos.
In his Towson career, Tyne was one of team's primary blitzing linebackers, having 75 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in college. He earned multiple sacks and at least three tackles for loss in each season the past three years, being tied for third in FCS in 2019 with three fumble recoveries.
Tyne is the first player from Towson going into the CFL via the league's draft, which is open to those playing in Canadian universities and Canadian players competing in the NCAA. Alum Frank Beltre has played in the CFL for five years, the last two with the Toronto Argonauts and was a member of the 2014 Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders, while Darius Victor signed a contract with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2019. Other Towson alumni in the CFL include Andrew Hollingsworth (2002), Telvion Clark (2015), Dan Crowley (1995-96, 1999-2003), Mark Orlando (1995) and Gerrard Sheppard (2016-17). Crowley played in Edmonton from 1999-2001.
Last Saturday, Shane Leatherbury signed a free agent contract with the Arizona Cardinals in the National Football League (NFL).
The Eskimos are coming off an 8-10 season in 2019 and last won the Grey Cup in 2015, the organization's 14th championship. The team plays at Commonwealth Stadium, the largest outdoor stadium in Canada.
