Former Ole Miss players win temporary restraining order to seek fifth college season
Three former Ole Miss starters who signed NFL contracts were granted a temporary restraining order allowing them to return to college for a fifth season, joining dozens of athletes in similar lawsuits against the NCAA.
Three former Ole Miss football starters – Dae'Quan Wright, Zxavian Harris and Wydett Williams – were among a group of athletes granted a temporary restraining order on Wednesday that could let them re-enter college competition for a fifth season. The order was issued by a Louisiana state court as part of a broader lawsuit challenging the NCAA’s recent eligibility rules.
The plaintiffs, which include 30 athletes from various sports, argue that the NCAA violated a “covenant of good faith” by changing its rules in June to allow five seasons only within a five-year window that begins at enrollment or the year after a player turns 19. The new policy eliminated many of the waivers previously granted for injuries or other extenuating circumstances, and the NCAA’s board chose not to apply the rule retroactively to seniors who had completed four seasons.
"The order invites further chaos in college sports and irreparably harms thousands of student-athletes already on campus," NCAA chief legal officer Scott Bearby wrote in a memo to schools.
If their NFL teams release them by Sept. 1, Wright, Harris and Williams could join a college roster under the restraining order. Wright, a former tight end, is currently on the Cleveland Browns roster; Harris was waived by the New Orleans Saints; and Williams is listed with the Seattle Seahawks.
The Louisiana case follows a series of similar filings, with more than 100 athletes suing the NCAA nationwide. A July 31 ruling by federal Judge Charlotte Sweeney in a class-action suit (Wisne v. NCAA) granted a sweeping restraining order for athletes who began their careers in the 2022-23 academic year. The NCAA has appealed that decision and other recent orders.
"A lot of this is just in case Wisne fails. That's a big concern for a lot of these athletes," said sports-law expert Sam Ehrlich, an associate professor at Boise State.
The outcomes of these cases could shape eligibility and transfer policies for thousands of student-athletes across the country.