The Big Ten is moving to prevent players who entered the NFL from returning to play college football as eligibility disputes reshape roster rules.(Image via Getty)
Could LSU’s move force the SEC, ACC and Big 12 to draw the same line?
Wright began his college career in 2022 and played four seasons before going pro. He went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft and spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns. Players from the 2022 class such as Wright were not grandfathered into that change. Join conversation Share your thoughts in the comments Be respectful · TOI community guidelines Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger also reported that the ACC and Big 12 were considering similar restrictions. That puts college football in an unusual position days before the 2026 season.
Thamel reported that the proposed Big Ten rule would cover several paths into professional football. Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III backed the Big Ten’s reported move, arguing that the conference needed to draw a line as the eligibility situation changes. Griffin wrote on X, “The Big Ten won’t allow NFL players to return to college and play. ESPN reported that he could join LSU if he cleared waivers Tuesday.
The conference is set to pass a rule Tuesday that would stop players from returning to a Big Ten roster after entering the professional ranks, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. Players can regain their college eligibility by ending their professional contracts and repaying their pro earnings, according to ESPN. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day admitted Monday that he would “have to at least consider” adding eligible players released from NFL rosters if the opportunity existed. He said there needs to be a point when college football rosters become locked. The conference said Monday that athletes who leave college and sign professional contracts “should not then be permitted to return to college competition.
The Big Ten is now moving to draw its own boundary. The development comes after LSU pursued Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris following their NFL stints. The Big Ten runs College football and with this is doing what is necessary to protect what sanctity is left. The issue escalated after Wright and Harris moved toward joining Lane Kiffin at LSU. Harris also moved toward LSU after spending time with the New Orleans Saints. Their possible return stems from a legal fight over the NCAA’s eligibility rules. The NCAA changed its rules in June to allow athletes to compete for five seasons within a five-year period. Multiple athletes challenged the restriction in court. A Louisiana court order then created a path for some players to receive another season of eligibility. LSU’s decision has pushed the issue beyond one player or one court case. Kiffin defended the Tigers’ approach Monday. With the current rules and court decisions in place, he argued that coaches have to operate within the environment they have been given. “They’re either going to play for you or they’re going to play for someone else around the country. That logic creates an obvious competitive problem. If one conference allows former NFL players to return while another refuses, coaches could face pressure to use the same option simply to avoid falling behind. Day also made clear that he does not support the situation. “Do I like anything about it? Absolutely not. The SEC has already taken a similar position publicly. Courts have created opportunities for players to challenge NCAA eligibility decisions, while conferences are now considering their own rules to control who can join a roster. The Big Ten’s expected action would provide a clear answer inside its conference. Going to the NFL would close the door on a return. Elsewhere, the answer is still developing. LSU has already shown why that distinction matters. Once one program found a legal route to bring NFL players back to college, every major conference had to decide whether it was willing to let the same thing happen on its own rosters. Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.
Both previously played for Kiffin at Ole Miss before pursuing NFL opportunities. The Browns waived Wright on Monday after he dressed for Cleveland’s preseason game against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday.
In 2026, even that line has become a legal question.
The NCAA made its opposition clear Tuesday, saying the recent court decisions were having a “destabilizing effect” on college sports. An NFL contract used to signal the end of a player’s college career. A player would be ineligible for a Big Ten roster after declaring for the NFL Draft without withdrawing, appearing on an NFL roster or signing with a professional league. That would effectively close the NFL-to-Big Ten route that has suddenly become possible elsewhere. That produced a scenario college football had rarely needed to contemplate: A player could leave for the NFL, spend time with a professional organization and then return to an NCAA roster. Now the Big Ten is trying to remove that uncertainty from its own roster rules.