An Unprecedented Move Is Taking Shape

The Cleveland Browns are waiving rookie tight end Dae'Quan Wright, and his agents, Drew Rosenhaus and Kyle Lincoln, say he has an agreement in place to play for LSU in 2026 — provided he clears NFL waivers first. If it goes through, Wright would become the first known player to sign with an NFL team and then return to college football, a move ESPN's Adam Schefter described as potentially unprecedented and nearly unheard of in the modern era.

The waiver process is the first hurdle. Any NFL team can claim Wright off waivers before the 24-hour window closes, and the move also faces eligibility questions: Wright was among a group of athletes granted a temporary restraining order by a Louisiana court to pursue a fifth year of eligibility under the NCAA's newly adopted five-year rule, and his eligibility ultimately depends on the outcome of those legal proceedings.

Why LSU Wants Him

Wright is more than a curiosity — he is a proven SEC pass-catching tight end. In 2025 at Ole Miss, he posted 39 catches for 635 yards and five touchdowns, earning second-team All-SEC honors. His 80.6 PFN College TE Impact score ranked 20th nationally among qualifying tight ends, and he spent the offseason with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent before Cleveland claimed him off waivers on Aug. 11.

He also knows the offense. Wright played under Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss, and LSU already features potential All-America tight end Trey'Dez Green but lacks depth behind him. Adding Wright would let LSU run multiple tight-end sets and give Kiffin another weapon familiar with his system at a position of need heading into a season with College Football Playoff aspirations.

The SEC Rule Complication

The move could breach SEC rules. The conference bars intraconference transfers outside the typical transfer window, and because Wright played at Ole Miss in 2025, an LSU arrival would be an SEC-to-SEC move. Some reports noted the addition could run afoul of those regulations, though the Louisiana court's temporary restraining order — which also covers a group of about 16 football players challenging NCAA eligibility rules — has created a legal pathway that may supersede conference policy in practice.

Wright would not be the only player taking advantage of that ruling: LSU also landed Junior Tuihalamaka via the transfer portal after the same judge granted him a temporary restraining order to return to college football.

A Firestorm of Reaction

The possibility has triggered sharp reactions across the sport. Oregon coach Dan Lanning called the trend of NFL players returning to college football "unfair to the sport," while Todd Monken — Wright's coach in Cleveland — responded to the news with a blunt "Ain't this (expletive) crazy?"

Robert Griffin III, the 2011 Heisman Trophy winner, went further in an X post: "NFL players should not be allowed to go back to play college football. It's gross negligence," he wrote. "It's a disservice to the current college players on any roster. Any coach or school who allows it should be ashamed of themselves." The NCAA declined to comment on the specifics, though senior vice president Tim Buckley said court decisions risk making college sports a fallback option for professional athletes while taking opportunities away from other players.

What This Means for CFB 27

For College Football 27 players, the Dae'Quan Wright saga is the clearest signal yet that 2026 rosters are about to change in ways no one predicted at launch. Whether or not he lands at LSU, the eligibility chaos means the roster update EA Sports has promised before Week 0 could carry more than freshmen and transfers — it may include NFL-experienced players the game's launch rosters never accounted for. In Dynasty mode, treat the pre-season roster refresh as a reset point for tight end depth charts, and keep an eye on LSU's offense: a receiver room that adds a proven SEC tight end with Kiffin familiarity is exactly the kind of roster move that shifts offensive ratings when the update lands.