The National Football League plans to inform its clubs that any player who returns to college this season will be ineligible to sign with an NFL team until the following year, according to an ESPN report. The league will clarify the rule at a special meeting on Wednesday.
Conference rule changes
The Big Ten and the Southeastern Conference (SEC) announced on Tuesday that they will prohibit athletes who have previously been on an NFL roster or declared for the draft as underclassmen from playing college football at member schools. The Big Ten’s directors voted unanimously to adopt the rule, and the SEC followed suit shortly after.
The Big Ten rule specifically bars players from “maintaining eligibility for athletic competition at a conference institution” if they ever appeared on a professional roster or entered the draft without withdrawing. Coaches and schools that violate the rule could face penalties, according to CBS Sports.
Impact on players
Players who sign an NFL contract and are later cut become free agents, able to sign with another NFL team, join the Canadian Football League, or return to college. However, if they return to college this year, they are considered free agents and are not subject to a future draft.
The SEC’s policy is broader, covering not only football players but also basketball athletes who declared early for the NBA or WNBA, signed contracts in those leagues, or were listed on a professional roster. The conference’s presidents, chancellors, and athletic directors issued a joint statement that athletes who have signed professional contracts “should not then be permitted” to return to college sports.
Recent court order and player moves
A Louisiana court recently issued a temporary restraining order granting a small group of undrafted free agents an extra year of NCAA eligibility. This allowed players such as tight end Dae’Quan Wright, who spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns, to consider joining LSU under head coach Lane Kiffin once NFL waivers are cleared. Former Ole Miss defensive lineman Zxavian Harris, waived by the New Orleans Saints, also announced his intent to transfer to LSU, calling it a “business decision.”
In total, 16 players received an additional year of eligibility thanks to the court order, which relates to the NCAA’s new age‑based eligibility model that permits five seasons within a five‑year window but does not cover athletes from the high‑school class of 2022 who have already exhausted their eligibility.
Future considerations
The new conference rules could limit landing spots for these athletes, potentially leading to legal challenges or further adjustments by the NCAA. The situation underscores the evolving landscape of student‑athlete eligibility as professional and collegiate sports intersect.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
