ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith has strongly criticized the Southeastern Conference (SEC) following reports that the conference was prepared to vote on expelling Louisiana State University (LSU) due to eligibility controversies surrounding players who had previously signed with NFL teams. Smith argued that simply entering the NFL draft does not make a player a professional if they have not signed a contract or competed in the league.
"Just because you enter a draft — if you haven’t signed a contract with the NFL team, you are not an NFL player," Smith stated on ESPN's "First Take." "If you haven’t been on a practice field, if you haven’t competed against NFL players, you are not an NFL player. You should be able to go back to college."
The dispute centers on LSU head coach Lane Kiffin's strategy of utilizing the transfer portal to bring in players who had signed with NFL teams but did not make the regular season roster. This tactic drew immediate criticism from opposing coaches, NFL personnel, and the SEC itself, which moved to implement policies preventing such players from returning to collegiate ranks. LSU reportedly pushed back, securing an injunction that allowed two players, Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, to confirm their eligibility.
The situation escalated with reports that the SEC was considering expelling LSU, aiming to uphold its commitment to amateur athletics. Some suggested the potential expulsion was a response to Kiffin's program pushing the boundaries of eligibility rules and implied that Kiffin, rather than the athletic director, was solely managing the football team.
Smith, however, posited that LSU's potential expulsion from the SEC would not negatively impact the program. He drew a parallel to Notre Dame's status as an independent team, suggesting LSU would remain competitive and financially stable. "And oh, by the way, Notre Dame, and we got love for Notre Dame, they’re an independent," Smith said. "LSU, you wanna throw them out the SEC? Go ahead and do it. Watch, they ain’t gonna lose. They’ll be just fine…Could you imagine Lane Kiffin as an independent? Out there in the open market for the LSU brand? Please, they’ll get paid…The SEC, sit your a-- down! Sit your a-- down!"
Reports indicate that LSU has since backed down from its plan to recruit players cut by NFL teams, signaling this by adding two other players to their roster. However, Smith maintains a distinct perspective, questioning the definition of an "NFL player" and the implications of changing eligibility rules after players have left college. The article notes that the definition of a professional player could become complicated, depending on whether a player made a practice squad, an active roster, or played even a single game before an injury.
