Alright, so LSU is pulling off some wild stuff right now, taking full advantage of a crazy legal injunction that straight up barred the NCAA from messing with the eligibility of 16 former college football players. Yeah, you heard that right, some of these guys were already on NFL preseason rosters, but now they’re back in the college game. Head coach Lane Kiffin, after a pretty rough 2025, has gone full mad scientist with the transfer portal, trying to completely revamp the Tigers’ roster. He’s hunting down former college stars looking for a fifth year after they didn’t make the cut as undrafted free agents in the pros. It’s controversial as heck, but Kiffin ain’t backing down.
Kiffin’s Wild Ride: Giving NFL Talent a Second Look
Kiffin has really emerged as the king of second chances for NFL talent, platforming a bunch of these guys’ returns to college football. And get this: NFL cuts aren’t even final yet, so we could see this list blow up in the next few days. It’s August 24th, and rosters are still shifting like crazy. What we know for sure is that these 2026 rookies are set to suit up for the Tigers after getting waived by their NFL teams. It’s a total shake-up, bringing a whole new level of talent back to Baton Rouge.
One of those guys is defensive lineman Zxavian Harris. He was the third of Kiffin’s 2026 recruits declared eligible thanks to that Louisiana court ruling for those 16 Class of 2022 players. Harris is the second player with actual NFL pedigree to land in Baton Rouge, joining his old Ole Miss teammate, Dae’Quan Wright. Back in his final season with the Rebels, Harris racked up 58 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, and even snagged an interception. He didn’t get drafted in 2026, signing with the Saints as a free agent, but they waived him in August, partly due to a foot injury. This dude is massive, standing at 6-8, and he showed off big time against Georgia in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals, crushing it with 10 tackles. What’s wild is Harris actually ripped Kiffin last year for leaving the Rebels, saying Kiffin’s exit felt “like a slap in the face.” He even said, “We got something for him. He was just trying to steal our shine. That’s all he tried to do. That’s all he’s been trying to do.” Guess they’re cool now, huh?
Tight End Trouble: Wright’s Pro Stints and Return
Then there’s tight end Dae’Quan Wright. This guy earned an invite to the NFL combine after an insane final season at Ole Miss, pulling in 39 catches for 635 yards and five touchdowns. The former Virginia Tech product was so good he earned second team All-SEC honors. Wright bounced around, spending time with both Philadelphia and Cleveland, but he didn’t even get into a preseason game with either team. The Browns waived him after their second match. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, even hit up “The Pat McAfee Show” to explain the whole situation. It just goes to show you how quickly things can change, even for guys who seem to have a foot in the NFL door.
So what’s next? With NFL cuts still happening, this list of former pros heading back to college could expand at any moment. It’s gonna be wild to see who else Kiffin manages to pull back for one more college ride!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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