NFL Bars Former Ole Miss Players in 2026
NFL Bars Former Ole Miss Players in 2026
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Key Points
1
Before attempting to return to college, Dae’Quan Wright signed with the Philadelphia Eagles and later joined the Cleveland Browns before being waived, while Zxavian Harris signed with the New Orleans Saints and was released.
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LSU initially held two spots open on its 105-player roster, but coach Lane Kiffin ultimately left both players off the roster for the Tigers’ season-opening victory over Clemson.
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The NFL memo reportedly said its ruling was “not inclusive of all 2026 draft-eligible players who returned to college,” suggesting the league’s decision was specific to the circumstances of Wright and Harris rather than a blanket ban on every returning player.
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LSU had already opened the 2026 season 2-0, with a highly anticipated game against Ole Miss in Oxford—Lane Kiffin’s first return to his former college home—adding broader attention and heightened security to the dispute.
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The episode has been drawn into the wider political debate over federal legislation governing college sports and a possible antitrust exemption; ProFootballTalk characterized Wright and Harris as participants in a one-year eligibility anomaly rather than evidence of a broader influx of NFL players into college football.
The NFL has blocked two former Ole Miss players from signing with any team for the remainder of the 2026 season. Saturday Down South reported that Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris cannot visit, try out for, or join any NFL franchise after they attempted to return to college football at LSU. The ban comes after both players went undrafted, signed with NFL teams during training camp, and then sought to reclaim college eligibility under a Louisiana court ruling that benefited players who graduated high school in 2022.
Wright previously signed with the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns before being waived, while Harris signed with the New Orleans Saints and was released. Mass Live noted that both players will have to wait until 2027 to resume their professional football careers. LSU coach Lane Kiffin ultimately left both players off the Tigers' roster despite holding two open spots on the 105-player squad.
The Path From NFL Camp Back to College
Both players were eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft but went undrafted. They signed with NFL teams as free agents during training camp—Wright with Philadelphia, Harris with New Orleans. A Louisiana court then granted additional eligibility to players who graduated high school in 2022, opening a window for them to return to college. Pro Football Network reported that this legal development prompted Wright and Harris to seek spots at LSU, setting off a dispute involving the university, the Southeastern Conference, and the NCAA.
LSU's Decision Leaves Two Spots Empty
Lane Kiffin's Tigers initially reserved two roster spots on their 105-player squad for potential returning players. However, Mass Live reported that Kiffin ultimately left both Wright and Harris off the roster for LSU's season-opening win over Clemson. The decision kept the team at less than full capacity rather than add the disputed players, even though a court had upheld protections for their eligibility return.
NFL's Ruling Applies to These Two Players Specifically
The NFL memo stated its ruling was "not inclusive of all 2026 draft-eligible players who returned to college," meaning the ban targets Wright and Harris alone rather than every player in similar circumstances. Lehigh Valley Live explained that forfeiting college eligibility after NFL training camps began disqualified them from the 2026 season. The episode has drawn attention to broader debates over federal legislation and antitrust exemptions in college sports, though experts view it as a rare one-year anomaly rather than a trend of NFL players flooding back to college.
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