A Baton Rouge judge’s ruling on Thursday has cleared the way for more than 40 athletes to claim an extra year of college eligibility, and that list includes three prospective LSU football players and one men’s basketball commit.
After nine hours of deliberation, Judge William Jorden granted a preliminary injunction that allows those athletes to use a fifth year of eligibility. Among the players covered are LSU tight end Dae’Quan Wright, defensive tackle Zxavian Harris and cornerback Blake Cotton, along with men’s basketball commit RJ Luis.
The decision came in the middle of a wider fight between the SEC and athletes who have signed or pursued professional contracts. The SEC, along with the Big 12, Big Ten, ACC and American Athletic Conference, had previously warned schools that they could face penalties if they added players who had signed or pursued deals in the NFL, NBA or WNBA.
Under the SEC’s proposed punishment, a school could be fined 50% of the operating budget for the sport involved, the coach could be suspended for a half-season and the school could lose voting rights.
Thursday’s injunction blocks the SEC and commissioner Greg Sankey, who spoke at the hearing, from carrying out those penalties against schools that add players the court and the Louisiana 19th district judicial district have deemed eligible.
The conference said Sunday it will follow the ruling while it considers its next move.
“In the meantime, the SEC and commissioner Sankey will continue to comply with the court’s order,” the SEC said Sunday in a statement to The Athletic. “Following the hearing, the SEC will carefully review the court’s decision and determine the appropriate next steps.”
For LSU, the timing matters immediately. Final football rosters are due Friday, and for now the university and athletic department cannot be punished for including the players involved in the lawsuit who have signed professional contracts.
That means Wright, Harris and Cotton can be added to LSU’s football roster. Even so, they likely won’t be available for Saturday’s opener because of the NCAA’s seven-day “acclimatization period” for athletes joining programs.
LSU begins its season Saturday against Clemson at 6:30 p.m. on ABC, in the Tigers’ first home season-opener since 2020.
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