UPDATE: Judge clears path for former NFL players to join LSU roster

BATON ROUGE, La. — A Louisiana judge ruled Thursday that the Southeastern Conference cannot enforce its eligibility rules against LSU or the athletes at the center of a legal fight over whether former professional football players can return to college competition.

East Baton Rouge Parish Judge William Jorden issued a preliminary injunction after nearly nine hours of testimony and legal arguments. The decision gives LSU a path to add former NFL players Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris to its roster as the Tigers prepare to open their season against Clemson.

The ruling does not guarantee that either player will take the field. Wright, a former Ole Miss tight end, began practicing with LSU this week but had not completed the NCAA’s required seven-day acclimatization period for Saturday’s opener. Harris, a former Ole Miss defensive tackle, is also seeking to return to college football after signing with the New Orleans Saints.

The case centers on a conflict between newly adopted NCAA eligibility rules and the SEC’s decision to prohibit athletes who have signed professional contracts from returning to conference competition. The athletes argue they should not lose an opportunity for a fifth college season because they pursued professional football before the new eligibility rules were available to them.

SEC challenges the return of former professionals

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey testified during Thursday’s hearing in defense of the conference’s position. He argued that allowing former professionals to return could create an unfair competitive advantage and take roster opportunities away from athletes who remained in college.

The SEC has also filed a federal lawsuit against LSU, its athletic department leadership and coach Lane Kiffin. The conference argues that LSU’s efforts to bring former professionals back to college football violate its rules and undermine the league’s authority to govern its member institutions.

The conference has warned that schools could face substantial penalties for violating its professionalism rules, including fines and possible suspensions. Thursday’s ruling prevents those penalties from being enforced against the affected athletes and schools while the case continues.

A broader fight over college eligibility

The LSU dispute is part of a larger national challenge involving athletes seeking additional college eligibility. More than 450 athletes have been involved in lawsuits challenging NCAA eligibility rules, with hundreds receiving temporary protections in court.

The athletes’ legal argument is that the NCAA’s changing rules created a situation in which some players left college for professional opportunities without knowing they could later return for another season. Their attorneys contend that the athletes should not be punished for decisions made under the rules that existed at the time.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill has supported the athletes’ position, arguing that the NCAA’s changing eligibility policies have created uncertainty for players, coaches and universities.

What the ruling means for LSU

The decision gives LSU temporary legal protection as it prepares its roster for the season. But it does not settle whether former professional athletes should permanently be eligible to compete in college football.

The SEC’s federal lawsuit remains active, and the broader eligibility dispute is still before the courts. For LSU, the immediate issue is whether the university can move forward with its roster plans without facing conference penalties while the legal battle continues.

The case now places a national debate over college football eligibility directly in Baton Rouge, where the court’s decision could affect not only LSU’s roster but also how universities and athletes approach the boundary between college and professional sports.