BATON ROUGE — College football history took another unusual turn Thursday as a Baton Rouge judge issued a preliminary injunction that clears a path for former NFL players Dae’Quan Wright and Xavian Harris to return to college football and suit up for LSU this season.
The ruling comes just days before LSU’s highly anticipated season opener against Clemson and in the middle of an escalating legal battle between LSU, the Southeastern Conference and the NCAA over the eligibility of former professional athletes.
Wright, a former Ole Miss tight end, and Harris, a former Ole Miss defensive lineman, both spent time with NFL teams after their college careers before returning to the college game. Wright was with the Cleveland Browns, while Harris was with the New Orleans Saints. Both ultimately joined LSU as part of head coach Lane Kiffin’s efforts to add experienced players to his roster.
The controversy centers around the SEC’s professionalism rules, which prohibit athletes who have signed professional contracts from returning to college competition. The SEC argued that allowing former professionals back into the league would create a competitive imbalance and potentially take opportunities away from younger players.
But Judge William Jorden’s ruling temporarily blocks the NCAA and SEC from enforcing those restrictions against athletes protected by the court’s orders. The decision allows LSU to move forward with Wright and Harris on its roster while the larger legal fight continues.
The ruling represents a major development for Kiffin, who has made headlines throughout the offseason for challenging traditional ideas about roster construction in the rapidly changing era of college athletics.
The situation also highlights the uncertainty surrounding the NCAA’s new five-seasons-in-five-years eligibility model. The rule was designed to give athletes more flexibility, but questions remain about whether players who had already exhausted their traditional eligibility — particularly those who briefly entered professional football — should receive another opportunity.
For LSU, the immediate focus now shifts back to the field. With the Tigers set to open the season Saturday night against Clemson in Tiger Stadium, the court’s decision could have significant implications for the roster and potentially for the future of college football itself.
What began as an eligibility dispute has quickly become one of the most consequential legal battles surrounding the sport’s new era.
Cover Photo Credit: Christian Proscia
