The Ottawa Redblacks signed defensive lineman Yoann Miangue on Wednesday according to the CFL Transactions page.
Yoann Miangue is six foot five and weighs 264 pounds. The 27-year-old from Toulouse, France, competed in taekwondo at the age of 15, joining INSEP (National Institute of Sport, Expertise and Performance) in Paris. He became a Youth Olympic champion in 2014 and then a French champion in 2017. In 2018, he won the bronze medal at the 2018 Mediterranean Games in the 80 kg category.
Miangue would stop taekwondo in 2019 to focus on playing professional football. In 2020, he was invited to the NFL International Player Pathway, but was never signed. He played for the Flash from La Courneuve, a French American Football team in La Courneuve, France.
In 2021, he played for the Dresden Monarchs of the German Football League with seven tackles (6 solos, 1 assist), three tackles for loss, and one sack in six games, helping the Monarchs win the GFL championship.
Then, he made his way to Canada. Collegiately, Miangue played three seasons at the University of Laval (2023-25) with 35 tackles (18 solos, 17 assists), 10 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and one blocked kick in 35 games for the Rouge et Or.
In 2024, Miangue made 12 tackles (7 solos, 5 assists), 5.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks. In the Mitchell Bowl against Regina, he made five tackles (1 solo, 4 assists), and in the Vanier Cup, he made three tackles (2 solos, 1 assist) and one tackle for loss to help The Rouge et Or to win the championship.
In 2025, he made a career-high 18 tackles (7 solos, 11 assists), 3.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, one forced fumble, and one blocked kick in 8 games. He was named an RSEQ All-Star.
