Dae’Quan Wright, a Cleveland Browns tight end and former Ole Miss star, just dropped a bomb on college football. He entered the transfer portal on Thursday, and it’s all thanks to a wild ruling from a Louisiana judge. This isn’t some minor tweak, folks: this order now allows double-digit football players to return to the college game in 2026, completely blowing past the NCAA’s long-standing rules that block players who signed pro contracts from coming back.
The NCAA’s Rules Just Got Torched
Look, we all know the NCAA loves its rules. But this Louisiana judge said “nah” to one of their biggest ones, a rule that prevents athletes with professional contracts from playing college ball. So, players like Wright, who is literally on an NFL roster right now, or Tampa Bay Buccaneers edge rusher Jack Pyburn, can make a return. This whole mess comes just 19 days after a Colorado judge issued an order allowing all Class of 2022 athletes to get a fifth year back. Even though the NCAA and that Colorado judge had clarified earlier this month that the July ruling *wouldn’t* override NFL contract rules, teams were still sniffing around players with pro contracts, hoping they could return. Guess what? Now they can, at least for a bit.
Chaos Reigns In Front Offices
You think this isn’t a huge deal? This temporary ruling, even if it’s just for players involved in the lawsuit, has set off a literal bomb in college football front offices. Teams are scrambling, trying to figure out what the heck comes next. Should they go after these newly eligible NFL guys? Could one of *their* former players, someone cut by an NFL team, decide to sue and come back? How long will any of this even last, or will another ruling shut it down? These are the questions keeping front office staffers up at night. As one SEC director of player personnel put it, “You find the person that knows what’s going on and you let me know.” That tells you everything you need to know about the level of confusion and uncertainty right now.
This is a temporary measure, sure, but it’s happening just one week before the college football season kicks off. And you better believe more lawsuits are coming. A lot more. Players who were hesitant to be the first to sue to regain eligibility? That hesitation is gone. College football is heading into a season unlike any other, with rosters potentially shifting on the fly and legal battles looming large. Get ready for a wild ride, because things are about to get really interesting.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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