The adoption of a new college eligibility system — an age-based, five-year model designed to eliminate waivers, redshirts and roster logjams created by a surge of athletes in their mid-20s sticking in school — has been furiously challenged in the courts by members of the 2022 high school class who want a fifth year of eligibility, too.
The new eligibility system, which is replacing one that allowed four seasons of competition over five years with no age restrictions, excludes student-athletes who exhausted their eligibility during the 2025-26 academic year.
That bucket is filled with athletes who first enrolled in 2022, following high school graduation. As of an Aug. 21 report from Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger, more than 150 athletes had filed a total of 18 lawsuits across 15 states. Wins against the NCAA in state courts have allowed athletes to return to college, including football players who were in NFL camps this offseason.
The phenomenon has bewildered NFL coaches, and, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the league is clarifying its eligibility rules on Wednesday.
Here's what Schefter outlined in his report: If a player signed to an NFL contract is cut, they are a free agent, meaning they can sign with another NFL team, a CFL team or return to college. But even if a player cut by an NFL team returns to college this year, they won't be subject to a future NFL Draft because they will still be considered a free agent. Plus, any player who goes back to college this year won't be able to sign with an NFL team this season.
#college #player
The new eligibility system, which is replacing one that allowed four seasons of competition over five years with no age restrictions, excludes student-athletes who exhausted their eligibility during the 2025-26 academic year.
That bucket is filled with athletes who first enrolled in 2022, following high school graduation. As of an Aug. 21 report from Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger, more than 150 athletes had filed a total of 18 lawsuits across 15 states. Wins against the NCAA in state courts have allowed athletes to return to college, including football players who were in NFL camps this offseason.
The phenomenon has bewildered NFL coaches, and, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the league is clarifying its eligibility rules on Wednesday.
Here's what Schefter outlined in his report: If a player signed to an NFL contract is cut, they are a free agent, meaning they can sign with another NFL team, a CFL team or return to college. But even if a player cut by an NFL team returns to college this year, they won't be subject to a future NFL Draft because they will still be considered a free agent. Plus, any player who goes back to college this year won't be able to sign with an NFL team this season.
#college #player
19 hours ago
