The National Collegiate Athletic Association recently adopted a rule that extends athlete eligibility to five seasons over five years. While the change was intended to address redshirt years and pandemic‑related extensions, its immediate application to players who graduated high school in 2023 has ignited legal battles across the country.
How the rule works
Under the new policy, an athlete’s eligibility clock starts either when they enroll full‑time in college or at the beginning of the regular school year after their 19th birthday, whichever occurs first. This gives most student‑athletes up to five seasons of competition.
Why the controversy
The NCAA chose to apply the rule only to the 2023 high‑school class, leaving the 2022 class out. Players from the Class of ’22 argue they are being denied both continued education and potential name‑image‑likeness (NIL) earnings because they cannot benefit from the expanded eligibility.
Several lawsuits have followed. A federal class‑action filed by basketball player Brock Wisne claimed the NCAA violated antitrust law by excluding the 2022 class. A Denver judge ruled in Wisne’s favor, allowing those athletes to return to their original colleges, though the decision left transfer‑portal restrictions untouched.
An appeals court later paused that ruling, adding to the confusion. Meanwhile, state courts have issued their own orders. At least 26 eligibility cases have been filed nationwide; judges have granted restraining orders or injunctions in ten of them, favoring the players.
Impact on a former NFL prospect
One of the most high‑profile cases involves Dae’Quan Wright, an undrafted tight end from Mississippi who tried out with the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns this summer. Wright now has an agreement to play the upcoming season at Louisiana State University, a rival of his former school Ole Miss.
Wright’s situation illustrates the broader uncertainty for teams. The SEC currently bars intra‑conference transfers outside the open transfer‑portal window, which for football is in January. The recent court orders that temporarily reopened the portal for some players have left conference officials scrambling for guidance.
Conference response
SEC leaders met on Monday and issued a statement warning that allowing athletes to move back and forth between professional leagues and college “will blur the line between college and professional sports, create significant equity concerns and reduce opportunities for high school and current college athletes.”
What schools are doing
College programs are adjusting rosters on the fly. Football coaches are evaluating potential returns from former players while also managing scholarship limits. Basketball programs face similar pressure; Gonzaga, for example, recruited two members of the Class of ’22 whose eligibility may now be restored.
Legal experts note that many of the state‑court filings were precautionary, filed “just in case” a federal decision is overturned. So far, only one appeal—concerning basketball player Filip Borovicanin—has succeeded in favor of the NCAA.
Looking ahead
Because court decisions can take months, the final outcome may not be known until after the current football, basketball and baseball seasons conclude. In the meantime, schools, coaches and athletes must navigate a shifting legal landscape that could reshape college sports for years to come.
Original reporting: NBC6 Miami — read the source article.
