LSU finalises 2026 roster without former NFL players
Lane Kiffin’s team fills its final two roster places with Aidan Anding and Gabriel Reliford, leaving Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris out amid an SEC dispute.
LSU has finalised its 105-man roster for the 2026 season without former NFL players Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris, according to ESPN reporting confirmed by CBS Sports.
The final places went to sophomore cornerback Aidan Anding and junior defensive end Gabriel Reliford. Their inclusion locks the roster for the season and ends speculation that coach Lane Kiffin would add Wright and Harris despite the Southeastern Conference’s position on former professional players.
Wright and Harris had signed with NFL teams as undrafted free agents and attended preseason camps before seeking to return to college football. A Louisiana judge granted a preliminary injunction clearing a path for them to pursue eligibility, but the ruling was not a final determination of their longer-term status.
The SEC has pursued legal action against LSU and Kiffin while seeking to enforce its rules. The dispute has included reported threats to pursue LSU’s expulsion from the conference, although the scope of the league’s authority and the wider legal consequences remain contested.
Kiffin had previously cited uncertainty over what adding the players could mean for LSU and the university. Leaving them off the final roster resolves the immediate 2026 squad decision, but does not settle the broader dispute over their eligibility or the SEC’s ability to impose penalties.
