Dae'Quan Wright adjusts his helmet before facing Arkansas
Dae'Quan Wright is attempting to make a return to college football after joining and being waived by two NFL training camp rosters
Former Ole Miss star Dae'Quan Wright could reunite with Lane Kiffin at LSU and make a return to college football after an NFL summer that included being waived by the Eagles and Browns
Dae'Quan Wright's NCAA football journey was already unconventional with stints at tight end for several programs, but his attempt to become the first player to go from the NFL to the SEC is unprecedented.
The 6-foot-4 tight end went from a four-star recruit at Perry High School in Georgia to Virginia Tech, then Ole Miss. Two seasons under Lane Kiffin's college football playcalling turned him into one of the SEC's most dangerous pass-catching tight ends.
Wright broke out in 2025 with 635 receiving yards, five touchdowns, and Second-Team All-SEC recognition despite a shoulder injury. The injury contributed to him going undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft.
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The physical tight end signed with the Philadelphia Eagles was waived in August and immediately claimed by the Cleveland Browns. Wright never played a preseason snap for the team, and reports suggest he is set to hit the waiver wire again.
Wright joined a lawsuit challenging NCAA eligibility restrictions, entered the transfer portal while still on an NFL roster, and was waived by Cleveland on August 23. His agents said an agreement was once the remaining legal and contractual details were handled.
The move could put Wright at the center of an extraordinary NFL-to-college story that could give him two shots at making the league during both the 2026 and 2027 NFL Drafts.
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A potential Kiffin reunion
The Browns are reported to waive Wright as Rosenhaus said an LSU agreement was in place, potentially reuniting the tight end with Kiffin in a familiar system that could produce the monster numbers necessary to chase another NFL dream