SEC, NFL dropping hammer on players returning to college football

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The SEC and NFL have dropped a bombshell announcement regarding professional athletes who are attempting to return to the college ranks for an extra year of eligibility.

According to football insider Adam Schefter, the league has established a new rule stating that a player who goes back to college will be prohibited from signing with an NFL team this year. That includes former Ole Miss tight end Dae'Quan Wright and defensive lineman Xzavian Harris, who are attempting to play for LSU head coach Lane Kiffin this season.

This is significant news ahead of the upcoming college football season, which is slated to begin this weekend with Week 0. Additionally, the SEC released punishments for coaches and teams who break the newly enforced rules and bring in professional athletes to compete at the college level:

  • 50% of season suspension for head coaches
  • 50% of that sport's annual operating budget
  • SEC voting privileges revoked on some matters

It is unclear at this moment what will happen with players like Wright, Harris and Seattle Seahawks and former SMU running back TJ Harden, all of whom are attempting to play for a college football program in 2026.

Like USA Today college sports reporter Austin Curtright said in his article about these punishments being established by the SEC, the conference is taking a "gloves off" approach to enforcing strict policies to prevent this from occurring. The NFL has doubled down on the SEC and Big Ten's stance by not allowing these players to return to the league.

On the basketball front, this also could impact Texas A&M men's basketball guard Bryson Warren, who was awarded a temporary restraining order against the NCAA on Wednesday. Warren has played the last three seasons in the NBA G League, but was seeking his year of college eligibility with the Aggies for the 2026-27 season. As of now, Warren can practice and participate with the Maroon and White, but the new rulings established in the conference and by professional leagues could prevent him from competing for Texas A&M this season.

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: SEC, NFL dropping hammer on players returning to college football

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