SEC Agrees To Comply With Louisiana Court Order Allowing Ex-NFL Players At LSU

SEC's Compliance Pivot

The Southeastern Conference, through conference legal counsel, has told plaintiff attorneys that it will comply with a Louisiana state court order permitting former professional football players to return to college competition. Attorney Darren Heitner wrote that "the SEC and Greg Sankey will comply with all applicable court orders, including those in Louisiana," while stressing that "nothing requires any school to roster any player" and that the conference's accommodation applies only to players named as plaintiffs covered by the order. Heitner added that the move does not signal agreement with the ruling and that the SEC may pursue other legal avenues, including federal litigation, to enforce its policy once litigation concludes.

How The Court Order Was Built

East Baton Rouge Parish District Judge William Jorden amended an existing temporary restraining order on Friday to add the SEC and Commissioner Greg Sankey as defendants, barring the conference from using its newly adopted former-professional rule to sanction schools, coaches or covered athletes acting within the relief granted. A Texas judge issued a parallel order a day earlier against the SEC, Sankey and the NCAA, granting more than 40 plaintiffs a fifth year of eligibility. The Louisiana order lasts 14 days, with a preliminary-injunction hearing scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 3, in Baton Rouge.

LSU's Immediate Roster Implications

The order clears the path for at least two former Ole Miss players to join first-year LSU coach Lane Kiffin's roster. Tight end Dae'Quan Wright, who signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Cleveland Browns and appeared in two preseason games before his release, and defensive tackle Zxavian Harris, who signed with the New Orleans Saints and was waived, are positioned to sign with LSU. Their inclusion on LSU's final roster would still constitute a violation of the SEC's policy banning players who had declared for a professional draft, signed a pro contract or appeared on a pro roster, and the policy's transfer rules, with potential penalties including a half-season suspension of the head coach, a fine equal to 50% of the school's athletic budget for that sport, and the forfeiture of conference voting privileges. LSU's opener against Clemson is set for Sept. 5, two days after the scheduled hearing, and rosters are not finalized until the day before the first game.

What The SEC Rule Was Designed To Do

The SEC unveiled its policy on Tuesday after the NCAA distributed a memo documenting nearly 60 lawsuits challenging Division I eligibility rules, including 24 filed in a single week. The policy prohibits SEC institutions from rostering athletes who previously declared for the NFL, NBA or WNBA draft without properly withdrawing, signed a contract with a professional or affiliate team, or appeared on such a roster. The conference statement said the commissioner is "authorized to enforce this expectation with penalties against member institutions," and the Big Ten and other power conferences adopted parallel restrictions before the court orders intervened.

The Next Hearing And Remaining Uncertainty

The preliminary injunction hearing Thursday in Baton Rouge will determine whether the restraining order is extended until a trial on the merits, with the court weighing whether the SEC can enforce its rule against plaintiffs covered by the order. Players' attorneys say they will seek a more permanent injunction, while the SEC has signaled it will comply with the existing order but has not conceded the underlying legal question. With basketball season approaching, eligibility status for additional players such as Mark Mitchell and Micah Hanglogten could continue to shift as separate cases proceed.

LSU Targets Clemson As Court Clock Runs

LSU opens its 2026 season at home against Clemson on Saturday, Sept. 5, with the temporary restraining order still in effect. The two-day gap between Thursday's hearing and kickoff leaves Wright and Harris, and any other former professional athletes added to the roster before the deadline, in a legal holding pattern until the judge rules on whether the conference's policy remains enforceable against them.