NewzThe Big 12 Conference on Wednesday followed the Southeastern and Big Ten conferences in banning players who were on NFL rosters from returning to college.The decision by the Big 12 came a day after rulings by the SEC and Big Ten. Earlier Wednesday, the NFL made it clear that players who leave the NFL to return to college won’t be allowed to come back to the league this season.NFL executive Troy Vincent reiterated the longstanding policy at the league’s meetings Wednesday, saying any player who returns to college would not be eligible to play in the NFL until 2027.Atlantic Coast Conference leaders were also discussing the topic this week.Big 12 and SEC rules go beyond footballThe rule unanimously adopted by the Big 12 bars its schools from adding professional athletes in football or any other conference-sponsored sport. The league said its rule would apply independently of the status of NCAA eligibility determinations.According to the Big 12 decision, athletes would be ineligible if they declared for the draft or supplemental draft of any professional sports league and did not timely withdraw before the draft, have been listed on a professional roster or signed a contract to provide athletic services with any sports league.The SEC’s rule approved Tuesday banned players who have been drafted by NFL, NBA or WNBA teams or listed on rosters in those leagues.
The Big Ten only included football in its decision and is expected to later address other sports.Two players seek to go from NFL back to former college coachAt least two players who signed with NFL teams as undrafted free agents this offseason were hoping to return to college and play at No. 11 LSU.Tight end Dae’Quan Wright and defensive lineman Zxavian Harris signed with NFL teams as undrafted free agents after playing last season at Mississippi for Lane Kiffin, now the coach at LSU.Wright initially signed with Philadelphia, but was waived Aug. 10 and claimed by Cleveland, which waived him Monday.
Harris signed with the New Orleans Saints in May, went through their offseason program and was let go Aug. 8 after being on the non-football injury list.Both players entered the NFL draft because they had used up their four years of eligibility. The NCAA announced a rule change in June allowing players who began college in 2023 or later to have five years to play five years of sports in college.That rule didn’t ap…
Players who leave the NFL to return to college won't be allowed to come back to the league this season. ATLANTA (AP) — Players who leave the NFL to return to college won't be allowed to come back to the league this season.NFL executive Troy Vincent reiterated the longstanding policy at the league's meetings Wednesday, saying players who go back to college will be ineligible to play in 2026. Vincent said any player who does that would instead become a free agent for the 2027 season.The comments came one day after the Southeastern and Big Ten conferences banned players who were on NFL rosters from being able to play at their schools.
Atlantic Coast and Big 12 conference leaders were also discussing the topic this week.At least two players who signed with NFL teams as undrafted free agents this offseason were hoping to return to college and play at No. 11 LSU.Tight end Dae'Quan Wright originally signed with Philadelphia as an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi following the draft. He was waived by the Eagles on Aug.
10 and claimed by Cleveland the following day. He spent about two weeks with the Browns without playing in an exhibition game before being waived on Monday. He cleared waivers Tuesday and now wants to go to LSU to play for his former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin.Defensive lineman Zxavian Harris signed with New Orleans in May as an undrafted free agent out of Ole Miss and participated in the offseason program.
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