We’ve seen how feckless the NCAA has been when put up against the courts ever since the onset of the NIL system. It nearly saw a quarterback avoid the association’s established consequences for gambling on his own team. When that same quarterback opted, instead, to test his luck with the NFL’s Supplemental Draft, the professional league stood its ground and refused to hold the event.
The NCAA’s latest loss in the courts has led to the notion that its former players might be able to come back for another year despite having signed NFL contracts. Today, the NFL saw one team concede to this notion as the Browns [opted to cut](https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/2091629808275079470) tight end **[Dae’Quan Wright](https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/daequan-wright-1.html?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.profootballrumors.com&utm_campaign=2026-08-23_cfb)**, an undrafted rookie who is committed to transfer to LSU upon the termination of his NFL contract, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Interestingly enough, there’s a chance that the former Ole Miss draft prospect’s plans could be ruined if another NFL team claims him off waivers. It wouldn’t be the first time; Cleveland picked Wright up off the waiver wire after the Eagles — the team he originally signed with — waived him two weeks ago. Realistically, though, Wright’s name has reached enough headlines that any team interested in claiming him is probably aware enough of his intentions to return to college that they wouldn’t sacrifice their waiver priority.
Wright is plenty familiar with the transfer portal. Originally a three-star recruit out of Georgia, Wright committed to play college football at Virginia Tech. He burned his redshirt as a true freshman, appearing in seven games (one start) and catching 19 passes for 208 yards. He started seven of 12 game appearances with 28 catches for 366 yards and sat out the Hokies’ bowl game that year as he entered the transfer portal and committed to **Lane Kiffin** at Ole Miss.
In his first season with the Rebels, Wright started six of 13 games appearances, logging 27 receptions for 394 yards and four touchdowns. He became a full-time starter for the first time in his senior year, and finished second on the team with five touchdown receptions to go along with career highs in catches (39) and receiving yards (635). While his technique was not quite NFL-ready, Wright’s athleticism and pass-catching ability had him projected as a fifth- or sixth-round prospect. Instead, despite 22 tight ends hearing their names called in the 2026 NFL Draft, the event came and went without Wright receiving a phone call.
Wright signed an undrafted free agent contract with Philadelphia, but about a month later, the NCAA changed its eligibility rules to essentially give student athletes five years in which they can play five seasons. This framework — set to take effect in the upcoming season — will replace the previous one which allowed for four seasons to be played within five years.
The previous framework allowed one redshirt for players who appeared in fewer than five games (for football) and additional redshirts for extenuating circumstances like season-ending injuries, opening the door for players who already utilized their original redshirt to be granted sixth and seventh years of eligibility and sometimes more. This new system eliminates the redshirt concept, only allowing for extensions in rare, extreme life events like active military service, pregnancy, or official religious missions. It restricts players to their five-year clock, injuries be damned.
The lawsuit, to which Wright was a party, fought for players who attempted to make it in the NFL because they had exhausted their eligibility to be able to adhere to the NCAA’s new/future rule and play out a fifth season. A number of back-and-forth court decisions have indicated that an ultimate decision on what is allowed for this situation may not be close at hand. Wright seems to be confident enough in the prospects of the lawsuit reestablishing his eligibility that he’s willing to leave his NFL contract. If he goes unclaimed and the courts ultimately allow, Wright will head to Baton Rouge to reunite with Kiffin for one more collegiate season.