NCAA court ruling opens NFL path back to college football
A Louisiana judge granted a temporary restraining order that lets former college athletes — including active NFL rookies — pursue a fifth season under new NCAA eligibility rules. Browns tight end Dae'Quan Wright became the first NFL player to enter the transfer portal, while ex-LSU edge Jack Pyburn leads a Baton Rouge lawsuit that could reshape roster season.
Key Takeaways
- Judge Will Jorden in Baton Rouge granted a TRO covering athletes seeking a fifth college season.
- Dae'Quan Wright entered the NCAA transfer portal while in Browns camp — a college football first.
- Ex-LSU rusher Jack Pyburn is the primary named plaintiff; the order also eases the pro-player return ban.
- More than 150 athletes have filed 18 eligibility suits in 15 states, with most early rulings favoring players.
- NFL final cuts on Aug. 30 could push more rookies toward campus NIL and revenue-share deals.
What did the Louisiana NCAA ruling actually do?
19th Judicial District Court Judge Will Jorden granted plaintiffs a temporary restraining order against the NCAA, according to Fox News OutKick and Yahoo Sports. The order lets them use a week-long, court-created transfer portal window.
It also blocked enforcement of the longtime ban on athletes who signed professional contracts returning to college. Schools that add covered players under the order are shielded from NCAA punishment for doing so, OutKick reported.
Why are NFL players suddenly eligible for the NCAA portal?
The NCAA adopted guidelines giving athletes five years to play five seasons but did not include the 2022 recruiting class under the new framework. Players who declared for the draft believed they had exhausted eligibility under the old rules — even though the new clock would have left them another year.
Wright, an undrafted free agent who signed with Philadelphia before landing with Cleveland, entered the portal Thursday, CBS Sports reported. Yahoo Sports notes he is part of a larger Louisiana plaintiff group that includes former Ole Miss teammates once coached by Lane Kiffin, now at LSU.
How does LSU fit into this bizarre eligibility fight?
Jack Pyburn, a former LSU starting edge rusher now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is the primary named plaintiff. He recently recorded two sacks in a preseason game. Yahoo Sports reports people familiar with the matter describe the Baton Rouge case as an orchestrated effort tied to LSU's campus — though schools cannot file these suits on athletes' behalf.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey reminded schools of a conference rule barring intra-conference transfers outside the normal portal window. Attorneys argue the TRO language may cover related SEC bylaws as well, setting up a potential showdown if an Ole Miss plaintiff tries to join LSU.
A Colorado federal class-action ruling briefly expanded fifth-year relief for the 2022 class before being stayed pending appeal. Across state courts, Yahoo Sports cites research tracking more than 150 athletes in 18 cases across 15 states, with judges favoring players in 11 matters so far.
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NFL teams must cut to 53 players by Aug. 30 — days before many college openers — raising the chance that cut rookies chase another campus season. Whether the NCAA issues a blanket waiver for the 2022 class remains unresolved as lawsuits keep stacking up.