The Southeastern Conference’s attempt to stop athletes from returning from the pros to college rosters hit another roadblock Friday.
District Court Judge William Jorden of Baton Rouge, La., granted an amended temporary restraining order (TRO) that restored the eligibility of some athletes and blocked the SEC’s plan to punish schools that recruit former pro hopefuls.
Thirty-three athletes brought the Louisiana case, and the TRO now specifically names the SEC and its commissioner, Greg Sankey.
Among those impacted, according to the (Baton Rouge) Advocate, are former New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Zxavian Harris and former Cleveland Browns tight end Dae’Quan Wright, both of whom are committed to play this fall at LSU. Per the report, Tampa Bay Buccaneers edge defender Jack Pyburn also hopes to play for the Tigers if he is cut before the end of August.
A hearing is scheduled before Jorden in Baton Rouge on Thursday, just over 48 hours before the Tigers kick off the season at home against Clemson.
Tony Clayton, one of the plaintiffs’ attorneys, said, according to ESPN, “If Sankey shows up, I’d like to hear his argument. What gives him the right to anoint himself God and take these constitutional rights from these kids?”
The latest legal maneuvering comes a day after District Court Judge Martin Hoffman of Dallas ruled that the SEC cannot block a group of 41 athletes from returning to college despite their dalliances with pro leagues.
The plaintiffs in the Dallas case include three active NFL players, wide receiver Omari Evans and linebacker Wesley Bissainthe, both Kansas City Chiefs, and Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jordan Hudson, plus two players who signed WNBA contracts, Bailey Maupin and Christeen Iwuala.
The SEC was joined this week by the Big Ten, Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference in announcing rules prohibiting athletes from returning to college. The SEC’s new ban affects players who declared for a pro draft and did not withdraw, signed a pro contract or appeared on a pro team’s roster.
The SEC also reportedly voted 15-0 on Wednesday — with LSU abstaining — to allow the league to sanction schools and coaches that add former pro athletes to their rosters.
According to multiple media reports, the SEC’s penalties would include suspending coaches for half a season, imposing a fine equal to 50% of the sport’s annual operating budget and revoking league voting rights.
Clayton said, according to the Advocate, “The SEC and the NCAA have to follow the rules, just as the rest of us. They’re not a communist nation.”
Both cases follow the NCAA’s adoption of a new age-based eligibility model that allows athletes up to five seasons within a five-year eligibility period. Athletes who had exhausted their eligibility by the end of 2025-26 were excluded from the transition.
–Field Level Media
