Des Holmes

Gillis Desmond Holmes (born July 28, 1999) is an American professional football offensive lineman for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Penn State and Arizona State.

Early life Gillis Desmond Holmes was born on July 28, 1999, in Norristown, Pennsylvania. He played his freshman year of high school football as a varsity starter on the defensive line at Norristown Area High School. He was converted to offensive tackle before his junior season. He earned first-team All-State and Class 4A Lineman of the Year honors his senior year in 2016.

College career Holmes played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions of Pennsylvania State University. He was redshirted in 2017. He appeared in 11 games in 2021. He played in ten games, all starts, during the 2022 season while also missing some time due to injury.

Professional career

Holmes went undrafted in the 2023 NFL draft. On June 16, 2023, he was selected by the Seattle Sea Dragons in the 2023 XFL rookie draft. However, he did not sign with them.

Holmes signed with the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL) on January 23, 2024. He was released on May 15, 2024.

Holmes signed a two-year contract with the CFL's Montreal Alouettes on February 20, 2025. He was moved to the practice roster on June 1, and promoted to the active roster on June 12.

Personal life Holmes' father, Lee Holmes, played college basketball at Shippensburg University.