Louisiana Judge Rules Players Can Go From NFL Back to College

LSU and Lane Kiffin are victorious—for now.

On Thursday evening in a courthouse in Baton Rouge, Judge William Jorden issued a ruling that extends legal protections for several football players seeking to go from the NFL preseason back to college rosters. 

The ruling applies to dozens of players across multiple sports, and challenges the implementation of the NCAA’s new age-based eligibility rule, rather than focusing on professional participation. It has sweeping implications, notably allowing players who have played in NFL preseason to sign with college rosters for the first time.

In the wake of the landmark decision, the most immediate question was whether some of the athletes in the case would appear in games—including Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, who had signed NFL contracts but have since secured deals to play for LSU this season. LSU will have to make that choice, but has previously signalled they would roster these athletes if given the chance.

Those players are now protected by a court order. 

Wright told reporters after the hearing he is looking forward to “just putting on a college uniform again.”

LSU president Wade Rousse said in a statement Friday morning that the school “respects the judicial process and the court’s decision.” Rousse called on Congress to pass “a version of the Protect College Sports Act” in order to develop uniform eligibility rules, and said that the school “will carefully review the court’s order.”

Darren Heitner, outside counsel for Wright’s agent, told FOS that he was waiting to hear from the school and that “multiple people are involved at the institution on determining next steps.”

LSU’s roster deadline is Friday.

Both sides were represented by prominent elected officials—the SEC by Orleans Parish district attorney Jason Williams, and the players by West Baton Rouge district attorney Tony Clayton.

“Justice was served like a cold cup of gumbo, and the judge forced them to eat it,” Clayton said after Jorden ruled for the players.

SEC Still Suing LSU

The next question: whether the SEC and NCAA would be legally allowed to penalize LSU under the court’s order. LSU is now protected, as Jorden entered a specification protecting the school from sanctions coming from the NCAA or SEC.

The case also raised an existential question: whether the SEC has the power as a conference to enforce its rules, especially in a legal environment where the NCAA is regularly sued. That last question wasn’t answered by the ruling Thursday night. 

The conference also filed a separate lawsuit of its own in Alabama federal court against LSU, Kiffin, and athletic director Verge Ausberry. With echoes of the Big 12’s case against Texas Tech over Brendan Sorsby, the SEC is seeking a federal ruling that would ensure it could prevent LSU from playing these athletes. 

The SEC is likely to continue proceedings in that case, especially if LSU rosters Harris and Wright for Saturday’s game.

‘Mississippi Didn’t Fight for Him, But Louisiana Will’

The landmark decision ends a contentious day in Baton Rouge, after several hours of oral arguments, including three hours of questioning for SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, according to those present in the courtroom and reportedly left through a side door due to security concerns.

A web of elected officials either participated or looked on in person and from afar, including Louisiana attorney general Liz Murrill, who filed a brief in support of players and attended the proceedings. During the testimony, she singled out Wright, saying, “Dae’Quan Wright, who played for Ole Miss, says he lost out on seven-figure NIL money in a fifth year. Mississippi didn’t fight for him, but Louisiana will.”

The legal battle didn’t originate as one over former NFL players, however. The first Louisiana state case was one of many filed against the NCAA challenging the implementation of its new “age-based eligibility policy.” The new rules allow players five seasons of eligibility—but the NCAA said it would not extend this new policy to players who started college in 2022 and had already exhausted four years of eligibility. 

The players who filed the Louisiana suit were part of this group, but the case drew ire because some of the athletes had signed NFL contracts (even preseason deals) and been listed on NFL rosters. After Judge Jorden issued a temporary restraining order in favor of the players, LSU scooped up Wright and Harris. 

In response, the SEC (as well as other conferences) released a policy banning players with NFL preseason experience. Neither the players nor LSU appeared to back down, however: Kiffin allowed Wright to join LSU practices earlier this week, while players’ attorneys got the SEC added to the temporary restraining order.  

Because of the SEC’s lawsuit, the drama is likely only beginning. The case argues that the SEC would be harmed if LSU rosters players with NFL preseason experience or who signed NFL contracts, and asks a judge to “enter a preliminary and permanent injunction prohibiting Defendants from violating the Conference’s First Amendment rights by compelling the Conference to associate with conduct that is contrary to the Conference’s purpose and mission.”

Attorneys for the SEC and/or NCAA are expected to file immediate appeals of Jorden’s injunction in the hopes that it could be at least paused before Saturday.

After the ruling, the SEC issued a statement, saying:

“We disagree with the Court’s decision.
 
“The SEC’s Presidents and Chancellors unanimously adopted a clear and reasonable standard: member universities should not place former professional athletes on their rosters. The Conference and its member universities have the right to establish, through agreed-upon governance procedures, the rules under which they voluntarily compete and to expect those rules to be followed.
 
“The SEC will continue to defend this standard, the principle of fair competition, and the Conference’s authority to govern competition among its member universities.”

LSU’s roster for the season is due to be finalized on Friday. On Saturday, the Tigers will finally take the field against Clemson for the most highly anticipated team debut of the year.

“The court has ruled in favor of the athletes!,” Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry declared in a celebratory post on X/Twitter after the ruling. “Again, they are not professional football players circling back after years in the NFL. They are college players who were told, by the NCAA, that they were done. So they took the only door that was open, only to watch the NCAA change the lock behind them. I am sure these athletes are relieved and anxious to get back in the game.”

He ended his post with a call to action: “Let’s spot the ball! #GeauxTigers!”