SEC Paves Way for LSU to Sign Former NFL Players Dae'Quan Wright, Zxavian Harris

The LSU Tigers are on the brink of making football history.

Ole Miss Rebels tight end Dae'Quan Wright (8) runs after a catch during the first quarter against the Georgia State Panthers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It appears that Lane Kiffin is getting exactly what he wanted.

The SEC is ending its battle with attorneys and will now allow professional players to sign with teams within the conference, per reports from On3.

It's a historical move that now paves the path for LSU to sign tight end Dae'Quan Wright and defensive tackle Zxavian Harris, both of whom have committed to play for the Tigers during the upcoming season despite signing NFL contracts with the Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints, respectively.

The Controversy is Coming to An End ... For Now

LSU Tigers head football coach Lane Kiffin talking with Quarterback Husan Longstreet 8 at LSU Football practice. August 18, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

LSU's decision to pursue Harris and Wright, who both played for Kiffin at Ole Miss, has been met with a ton of controversy. It forced the SEC to release a new set of rules prohibiting the pro-to-college pipeline, highlighted by blocking players from returning to the conference if they have previously signed a professional contract at the NFL, NBA, WNBA or NBA G-League level, not including the NBA Summer League.

The SEC's decision to back off of its legal battle with pros attempting to return to college football ends the drama, at least for now, but fans should expect the conference to fight back at some point in the future, likely when the college football season is over.

LSU fans can now expect Wright and Harris to join the Tigers as soon as possible, though it's unlikely they'll be ready in time to suit up for the season opener against Clemson.

LSU Just Got Even Better; College Football Playoff Should Be Expected

By adding two players from NFL rosters, the expectations for the Tigers are now rising up even higher than they already were.

LSU will no doubt have some early growing pains in the first year under Kiffin, but the floor for this team should be a College Football Playoff berth.

If they come up short of that, Kiffin and the Tigers will be faced with one obvious question: how do you miss the CFP with a loaded, multi-million roster that also features two NFL-level talents? Barring a massive amount of unforeseen injuries, there is simply no excuse for LSU to come up short of the championship-level expecations fans in Baton Rouge have become accustomed to over the years.

The first test begins on Saturday, Sept. 5 at home against Clemson.

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