The Southeastern Conference (SEC) has announced a new policy prohibiting athletes who have been on NFL rosters from returning to play college football within the conference. This decision impacts players who have recently attempted to transfer to SEC programs after participating in NFL training camps.
Recent transfers to LSU, including defensive lineman Zxavian Harris and tight end Dae'Quan Wright, are directly affected by this ruling. Harris had signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent before being waived, and Wright was cut by the Cleveland Browns after clearing waivers earlier this week. Both players were involved in a lawsuit filed by a group of 2022 recruits seeking an additional year of eligibility, which had initially led to a temporary restraining order against the NCAA in Louisiana.
The SEC's statement clarified the new policy: "Following meetings with the presidents, chancellors, and athletics directors of the Southeastern Conference, the SEC will enforce the following policy."
It further detailed three conditions under which an athlete would be ineligible:
- Previously declared for the NFL, NBA, or WNBA Draft and did not appropriately withdraw.
- Signed a contract with an NFL, NBA/G-League, or WNBA team.
- Been listed on an NFL, NBA/G-League, or WNBA roster.
The Commissioner of the SEC is authorized to enforce this expectation with penalties against member institutions.
LSU coach Lane Kiffin had previously defended the recruitment of fifth-year players, including Wright and Harris, who were reportedly set to officially sign with his program. Kiffin argued that these players were granted a fifth year of eligibility through court injunctions and were therefore available to recruit, a practice he stated many programs were engaging in.
Kiffin also expressed skepticism about the SEC's ability to enforce the new rules, particularly in light of existing court orders. He suggested that the conference would face challenges in overriding judicial decisions that allow these athletes to play.
"All court orders have been followed," Kiffin stated. "I think you're going to get in a really interesting situation of now, as a conference, you start to say, 'Well, we're not going to follow this court order that's been issued.' And we're going to say that these kids that the courts said can go anywhere, we're going to say no, you can't."
He emphasized that these were not professional athletes whose careers had ended, but rather players who were not initially informed about having a fifth year of eligibility when making their decisions. The judge's ruling, in his view, was a protection for these athletes.
