Vanderbilt linebacker, other athletes suing NCAA over redshirt rule
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Vanderbilt won a major legal victory over the NCAA in the offseason, as Diego Pavia successfully lobbied for a final year of eligibility on the grounds that his time in the JUCO ranks shouldn’t have counted toward his eligibility in Division 1.
Now, a Commodores linebacker is at the forefront of a class action lawsuit that could reshape the redshirt rule.
According to Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellinger, Vanderbilt linebacker Langston Patterson and other college athletes are suing the NCAA on the grounds that they should be allowed to play five full seasons over the span of five years if they so desire. The current rule, of course, limits student-athletes to four seasons of eligibility over five years.
The lawsuit was filed in a U.S. district court in Nashville, according to documents.
If Patterson and the other nine athletes listed in the lawsuit, which includes Commodores defensive lineman Issa Ouattara, DB CJ Taylor, WR Quincy Skinner Jr., and former Hawaii quarterback Brayden Schager, it could reshape a rule that has been in place in its current form since 2018.
On the field, Vandy opened the 2025 season with a 45-3 win over Charleston Southern. It travels to Blacksburg to face Virginia Tech in Week 2.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
