Louisiana court clears path for LSU to roster former NFL players
A preliminary injunction issued by Judge William Jorden prevents the NCAA and SEC from penalising LSU for adding ex-pros to its roster, though game eligibility remains subject to ongoing litigation.
East Baton Rouge Parish Judge William Jorden issued a preliminary injunction on Thursday night, granting Louisiana State University the right to list former NFL players on its roster. The ruling was handed down just before LSU was required to submit its 105-man roster to the Southeastern Conference, a body that had announced potential heavy punishments for teams signing ex-pros just days earlier.
The decision converts a previous temporary restraining order into a full preliminary injunction, specifically prohibiting the NCAA and the SEC from penalising the university for adding the athletes. While the order clears the administrative path for the university to roster players such as defensive lineman Zxavian Harris and tight end Dae’Quan Wright, their specific game-by-game eligibility remains uncertain as the case proceeds through the courts.
The ruling followed a nearly nine-hour hearing in which multiple athletes and officials took the stand. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey testified for more than two hours, defending the league’s authority to enforce its new rules barring former pros from returning to play at its 16 member schools. Judge Jorden stated that while he considered sanctions against the SEC and the NCAA, he was not yet ready to issue any at this time.
Former New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Zxavian Harris testified that he was paid only $190 in travel expenses by the Saints and spent his time rehabbing a foot injury. Harris claimed he earned approximately $1 million in college and would not have turned professional had he known he might receive another year of eligibility. Similarly, former Cleveland Browns tight end Dae’Quan Wright stated he earned a $25,000 signing bonus from the Philadelphia Eagles and would gladly pay it back to play for LSU.
The legal standoff continues as the SEC has filed a separate lawsuit against the school in federal court. This federal action may now represent the conference’s best chance to prevent former pros from playing this season. The uncertainty comes at a critical juncture for the program, with 11th-ranked LSU scheduled to open its season at home against Clemson in two days.
The hearing also featured testimony from LSU soccer players Jazmin Ferguson and Jocelyn Ollivierre, who won earlier court orders and have already played this season. Ferguson noted that she paid back $4,500 to a USL team to clear her eligibility, highlighting the financial complexities involved in the return of professional athletes to the collegiate level.
