In recent developments, the ruling of a temporary restraining order (TRO) by a Louisiana judge permits a group of NFL rookies to return to college football for an additional year of eligibility. In response, the Big Ten conference is implementing a firm stance.
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the Big Ten has decided to establish a rule preventing players who spent time on NFL rosters from participating in their league. Thamel reported on X, “Sources: The Big Ten is set to pass a rule today that doesn’t allow players to return from the NFL and play for a Big Ten school. Anyone who has declared for the NFL Draft and did not withdraw, appeared on an NFL roster, or signed a contract with a pro league cannot be on a Big Ten roster.”
Two athletes, Cleveland Browns tight end Dae’Quan Wright and New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Zxavian Harris, have already committed to join Lane Kiffin at LSU. Additionally, four other players who recently appeared on NFL rosters — Seattle Seahawks running back TJ Harden, Seahawks running back Anthony Hankerson, Arizona Cardinals safety Wydett Williams Jr., and Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Jack Pyburn — were awarded a fifth year of college eligibility.
Prominent head coaches within the Big Ten, Oregon’s Dan Lanning and Ohio State’s Ryan Day, expressed concerns over the return of players who recently had NFL involvement. Lanning remarked, “I think there’s a lot of negatives that are involved around this. One, once you go to the NFL, to me, you’re in the NFL. You don’t get the opportunity to come back. Two, most of us have built our rosters and you have a limited roster limit now. So if you invited somebody back to your team, that means you’re kicking somebody else off your team to match your roster limits.”
Lanning argued that it’s unfair to players who have worked hard over the summer and spring to refine team dynamics, “To let any of those players come back, fair or unfair to them, it’s unfair to the sport and I think it’s unfair to the players that are on current teams for those guys to be coming back.”
Ryan Day also commented on the impact of this issue, “In my opinion, the conferences have to decide if there’s a point where their rosters have to be locked in because once some of these guys become available, adding them to the roster is going to provide advantage for certain teams.”
Though Day expressed concern, he acknowledged the need to consider available NFL cuts and their impact on teams, stating, “Do I like anything about it? Absolutely not, but we got to do what’s right for Ohio State. … I think we would all agree, maybe not everybody, but that there has to be a certain point where your roster gets locked in.”
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