Dae’Quan Wright’s path to LSU hit a new snag Thursday, but the fight over his eligibility is far from finished.
Wright had been on track to join LSU after clearing waivers with the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday. The tight end was set for a reunion with Lane Kiffin, whom he played for at Ole Miss for two seasons.
Then the SEC dropped a new policy just hours later, banning any player who has previously been signed to an NFL roster - or any professional football league roster - from competing in the conference. The move came after the Big Ten issued a similar policy.
The conference ruling puts Wright’s immediate future in doubt, but it doesn’t close the door. Wright, who graduated from high school in 2022, had been seeking a fifth year of eligibility under the NCAA’s 5-for-5 rule.
That rule would not have applied retroactively, but Wright and other players received a temporary restraining order in a Louisiana court that opened the door to a possible return. Now the next step is a possible injunction, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for Monday.
Wright is being represented by NIL attorney Darren Heitner, and the legal angle may still matter here. According to Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellinger, Heitner “believes that language in the Louisiana injunction provides a ‘colorable argument’ to cover conference-wide policies as well.” That means there is still a path for the injunction to allow Wright to play.
So while the SEC’s new rule has complicated Wright’s move to LSU, this story is still headed toward the courtroom, not the finish line.
In Other News...
LSU Just Made A No. 18 Choice Fans Will Debate
LSUs latest nod to its locker-room standards came with a familiar kind of weight, as center Braelin Moore was chosen to carry the No. 18 tradition into this season. The honor has long been reserved for players who embody leadership and selflessness, and it remains one of the programs more meaningful internal markers. Moore is only the second offensive lineman to earn the distinction, which says plenty about how the Tigers view his role beyond the line of scrimmage.
Because of NCAA numbering rules, Moore will wear a patch representing No. 18 rather than the number itself, but the symbolism is still the point. The tradition dates back to quarterback Matt Mauck and has been passed along to players whose value shows up in the huddle, in the meeting room and in the way teammates respond to them. For LSU, the selection is another reminder that some of its biggest expectations are measured less by statistics than by the standard a player sets every day. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Just Made A No. 18 Choice Fans Will Read Into
LSU added a familiar bit of symbolism to its roster this week by honoring Braelin Moore with the No. 18 jersey, a number reserved for the Tiger who best reflects leadership and character. Moore, a fifth-year senior center, will keep wearing No. 61 on game day because of NCAA numbering rules, but the patch attached to his uniform carries real meaning around the program.
The choice is notable for another reason: it is only the second time an LSU offensive lineman has received the honor, following Lloyd Cushenberry in 2019. For a position group that usually gets its praise in quieter ways, the gesture says plenty about how Moore is viewed inside the program and why this one figures to resonate with fans who pay attention to the details. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffin Is Fueling A Debate LSU Fans Can't Ignore
Lane Kiffin is back in the conversation around LSU, but this time it has nothing to do with play-calling or the transfer portal. He appears as the villain in a new Dr. Pepper "Fansville" commercial set to air this football season, another reminder that his image still carries plenty of edge in college football circles and plenty of baggage for fans who remember his Ole Miss days well.
The timing makes the spot especially hard for LSU fans to ignore, because the Tigers have just added former NFL players DaaQuan Wright and Zxavian Harris after both were cut and then entered the transfer portal. Both players once played for Kiffin at Ole Miss before he took over at LSU, which gives the commercial a little extra irony for a fan base still sorting through how to view its coachs old ties. [Read more 🡒]