Former Pros, College Rosters and the Eligibility Fight Heading to Court

By faNILy Team · September 8, 2026

The newest flashpoint in college sports isn't about how much athletes get paid. It's about who gets to play at all. Over the past couple of weeks, a fight over former professional players returning to college has moved from conference offices to courtrooms, and NCAA president Charlie Baker just weighed in.

What Baker said

On The Pivot podcast, Baker warned that former NFL players coming back to college could "steal opportunities from the kids who are behind you," according to On3's Sept. 7 report. He said it would have been "naive" to think revenue sharing wouldn't lead some schools and players to want to "play forever," but added, "I do blame the adults for encouraging this." He also questioned former pros coming back to play against "the 93% who are never going to see a seat on a professional football team."

Roster spots matter more than ever. The House settlement brought roster limits, so every spot taken by an older player is one fewer for someone else.

How we got here

The NCAA has moved to an age-based, five-year eligibility window capped at age 24, but On3 reports the new rules apply to incoming students starting this fall. The Class of 2022, whose eligibility ran out at the end of 2025-26, was left out of the new model, and that gap has produced multiple lawsuits.

The SEC drew a hard line before the season. Its rules bar schools from rostering athletes who declared for a pro draft without properly withdrawing, signed pro contracts or appeared on pro rosters. Per On3, penalties for violations include a fine of 50% of that sport's annual operating budget and a suspension of the coach for 50% of contests.

On Aug. 29, the SEC said it would comply with court orders granting players eligibility, even though the conference was a defendant, while planning to contest those orders.

The Louisiana ruling

Then, on Sept. 4, On3 reported that Louisiana Judge William Jorden granted a preliminary injunction allowing former Ole Miss players Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris to compete for LSU. Both had previously signed with NFL teams. The order also bars LSU from blocking their participation despite the threat of conference sanctions.

SEC attorneys said they'd appeal as soon as possible. The SEC also filed a separate lawsuit in Alabama federal court against LSU, head coach Lane Kiffin and university leadership, according to On3.

Why fans should pay attention

This isn't just legal inside baseball. It shapes who's on the field on Saturdays:

Roster math: Older, experienced players can help a team win now, but each one may cost a younger player a spot and a chance to develop.
Competitive balance: If some schools roster former pros under court orders and others don't, conference play gets complicated.
Fan connection: Part of college sports' appeal is watching players grow over several seasons. A rotating cast of veterans changes that story.

What's next

Expect more hearings and appeals. The bigger fix, many in college sports argue, is federal legislation that would set national eligibility rules. The Protect College Sports Act, pending in the Senate, would set a five-year eligibility framework, according to the Senate Commerce Committee's section-by-section summary. Until something like that becomes law, eligibility may keep getting decided one courtroom at a time.