SEC releases statement regarding NFL players committing to college rosters
By Ethan Stone
Published:
The line between professional and amateur is blurring more and more by the day.
On Monday, the SEC released a definitive statement regarding recent reports of NFL players eyeing a return to college football based on the recent Class of 2022 eligibility drama that currently has a stranglehold on college sports. The statement offers further support for the Protect College Sports Act and emphasizes that “college sports are for college athletes.”
Here’s the statement in full:
Former Ole Miss tight end Dae’Quan Wright and former Rebels defensive lineman Zxavian Harris are poised to commit to LSU after being waived by their respective NFL teams earlier this week. Wright was waived by the Browns and Harris is no longer with the Saints after going undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft.
We’ve recently noticed a similar trend in college basketball. Several former college players are returning to college rosters after playing in the Summer League or, in some cases, even signing deals with NBA franchises. Until Wright, however, there had not been a credible threat of NFL players returning to college football.
Now, all the drama is threatening to bleed into the 2026 college football season, which is set to kick off in just under a week on Saturday.
Ethan Stone is a Saturday Down South News Editor and an advocate for the return of the Seattle Supersonics.
