LSU has closed the door on the NFL eligibility saga for now, bringing defensive end Gabriel Reliford and cornerback Aidan Anding back onto the roster and leaving Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris on the outside looking in for the 2026 season.
Per ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the additions push LSU’s roster to 105 and officially wipe out any possibility of Wright and Harris joining the Tigers this year. Both players had been in the mix after LSU’s eligibility battle, but the school clearly decided the risk wasn’t worth it.
Anding and Reliford were both sidelined by major spring injuries, with Anding suffering a torn Achilles and Reliford tearing his ACL. Because of that, neither was included on LSU’s original fall camp roster. They are now listed on the school’s website.
The timing matters. On Tuesday, it was reported that the SEC’s lawsuit against LSU could have opened the door for the conference to expel the Tigers entirely if the program formally rostered players who had previously signed professional contracts. Faced with that possibility, LSU backed away from adding Wright and Harris.
That choice tracks with where this team already stands. LSU’s 51-10 win over Clemson in the season opener showed a group that looks capable of contending as currently built, and Wright and Harris apparently were not enough of an upgrade to justify the possible fallout.
So LSU moves on, and the attention shifts back to football - and to a national title push in the first year under Lane Kiffin.
Meanwhile, Wright and Harris are still trying to find another route back to college football. According to On3’s Pete Nakos, both are “exploring all their legal options” in hopes of returning, just not with LSU.
Their path got complicated quickly. Both had committed to LSU and had been granted an additional year of eligibility after a Louisiana court ruling last week, but that no longer appears to be enough to get them into Baton Rouge.
Wright and Harris also each signed undrafted contracts before being waived, with Wright joining the Cleveland Browns and Harris the New Orleans Saints. They could still try to catch on with an NFL team later in the season if injuries create openings, and both have already gotten a taste of the pro level.
For now, though, their college football future is very much up in the air.
In Other News...
Tennessee Must Deal With A Familiar Threat In Georgia Tech's Backfield
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Josh Heupel didnt spend much time underselling what Haynes brings. He described him as dynamic and physical, with good vision, a combination that can make a back dangerous both between the tackles and once he gets a crease. That gives Tennessee another early test in a matchup where the Vols will need to be sharp against a runner who already has a feel for high-level football and is trying to make an immediate impact in his new home. [Read more 🡒]
Kelsey Pope Put Tennessee Receivers Through A Drill Fans Need To See
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Kelsey Popes approach fits into a broader tradition of coaches finding unusual ways to challenge receivers, including the Dallas Cowboys use of beekeeper masks in similar training exercises. For Tennessee, the goal is simple enough even if the method looks odd: make routine catches feel less routine before the real pressure hits. Fans may not see the payoff until the fall, but the offseason work already has a way of standing out. [Read more 🡒]
Arion Carters Return Adds Intrigue To Tennessees First Road Test
Tennessee heads to Bobby Dodd Stadium on Sept. 12 for its first road test of the season against Georgia Tech, with the matchup set for ESPN as Josh Heupel continues sorting through the early-season details that come with a team still forming its identity. One of the most notable pieces of that picture is Arion Carter, whose presence around the program has carried added weight as the Volunteers prepare for a game that will say plenty about where they stand away from home.
Heupel recently addressed the way Tennessee handled leadership during Carters NCAA suspension, noting that Carter served as the teams sole captain while sidelined. The suspension came after an agent paid for a flight during the pre-draft process, and Carter now returns with another layer of motivation, planning to donate money to cancer-related charities based on his defensive performance this season. For Tennessee, it is a reminder that this opening stretch is about more than just travel and opponent prep, with Carters return adding a personal and competitive subplot to a meaningful September test. [Read more 🡒]