In the midst of ongoing uncertainty in the world of college athletics, the NFL reiterated to its teams on Wednesday that players returning to college will not be allowed to sign with any NFL team this season.
Several athletes across different sports are attempting to rejoin college athletics after turning pro, which is stirring considerable controversy within the NCAA. One such player is Dae’Quan Wright, a tight end recently released by the Cleveland Browns, who was expected to join LSU under his former Ole Miss coach, Lane Kiffin.
The NFL sent out a memo, reported by ESPN, reinforcing existing regulations. It stated that any player who is signed to an NFL contract and then cut will be a free agent. While they can sign with another NFL team or even join the CFL, returning to college means they won’t be eligible for this season.
Moreover, any player who is cut by an NFL team and chooses to go back to college for the 2026 season will still be deemed a free agent and cannot enter a future NFL Draft.
In addition to Wright, Zxavian Harris, recently cut by the New Orleans Saints, is poised to join Kiffin at LSU. Both players were part of Ole Miss’s College Football Playoff run last year, where Kiffin accepted the LSU position during the season after the dismissal of Brian Kelly.
Wright and Harris have received a temporary restraining order that permits them to return to college football, giving them an extra year of eligibility.
However, shortly after Wright cleared waivers, the SEC and Big Ten, soon to be joined by the ACC and Big 12, announced new eligibility guidelines. These rules will bar players like Wright, who have been involved in professional sports, from returning to college athletics.
According to the new policies set by the SEC and Big Ten, any athlete who has signed with a professional team or participated in any professional training camp becomes ineligible for competition within the conference.
Attorney Ryan Downton, representing several players seeking reentry into college sports, stated that they are currently “working on a legal strategy” to address the new guidelines imposed by both the NCAA and the respective conferences.
“The SEC’s actions put the NCAA in contempt of multiple court orders,” Downton noted, expressing concerns about what he perceives as the NCAA conferences’ attempt to create regulations spontaneously in response to legal rulings.
