EDMONTON – The Edmonton Elks made a pair of selections in the 2024 CFL Global Draft on Tuesday, choosing linebacker Eteva Mauga-Clements in the first round (first overall) and defensive lineman David Olajiga in the second round (10th overall).
Mauga-Clements spent three seasons at the University of Nebraska (2020-22), seeing action on both defense and special teams in every game in 2022. He was twice named Academic All-Big Ten (2021, 2022), while posting a career-high 39 tackles in his senior year. Prior to joining the Cornhuskers, the six-foot-one product of American Samoa played two seasons at Diablo Valley Community College (2018-19). In 18 games for the Vikings, he recorded 82 tackles, 29.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks and was named defensive player of the year in the Bay 6 Conference in 2019.
“Eteva is a player we’ve targeted from the beginning of the Global process. He’s a high level player who will contribute on special teams from the first day of camp,” says Elks assistant general manager Geroy Simon.
🇦🇸 ➡️ 🇺🇸 ➡️ 🇨🇦
The Elks select American Samoan linebacker @Emauga22 with the first-overall selection in the @CFL Global Draft.
The former @HuskerFootball LB has landed in Edmonton, welcome Eteva! #OurTeamOurCity #GoElks #CFLDraft pic.twitter.com/ND5qwzFm3E
— Edmonton Elks (@GoElks) April 30, 2024
Olajiga played the last three seasons at the University of Central Missouri (2021-23), recording 98 total tackles, 20 tackles-for-loss, nine sacks, and three forced fumbles in 32 games for the Mules . He was named a Don Hansen Honorable Mention All-American in 2022. Prior to joining Central Missouri, the six-foot-three product of London, England, played at Butler County Community College in Kansas in 2020.
The CFL Draft begins at 6 p.m. MT Tuesday. The Elks have nine picks, including No. 1 overall.
The Edmonton Elks are proud members of the Canadian Football League, playing their home games at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta.
The club, officially renamed the Elks in June of 2021, has a tradition of excellence having won 14 Grey Cup championships (1954-56, 1975, 1978-82, 1987, 1993, 2003, 2005, 2015). Since its founding, the club has been community-owned and remains focused on providing outstanding football memories for Edmonton and all of Northern Alberta.
Elks Football…Our Team. Our City.