The SEC and Big Ten have taken major steps to prevent former professional athletes from returning to college sports after gaining additional eligibility through recent legal rulings.
The Big Ten passed a new rule Tuesday preventing football players who have moved into professional football from returning to compete for one of its schools. Under the policy, players who declared for the NFL Draft and did not withdraw, appeared on an NFL roster or signed a professional contract would be prohibited from joining a Big Ten roster.
The SEC followed with an even broader policy covering football and basketball. The conference’s rule applies to athletes who have been drafted or appeared on professional rosters, including the NFL, NBA, WNBA and NBA G League. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey has been given authority to enforce the policy and impose penalties on schools that violate it.
The decisions come amid a major eligibility dispute involving athletes from the 2022 high school class. Recent court rulings have allowed some players to receive additional eligibility and return to college sports after their original eligibility had expired.
The situation has already created controversy around LSU. Head coach Lane Kiffin had been looking to add former NFL players Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris after they received additional eligibility through the ongoing legal battle. The SEC’s new rule could prevent those players from competing for LSU.
The conferences argue that allowing players who have already entered professional sports to return to college would create an uneven competitive environment. The policies are also designed to maintain a clearer separation between college and professional athletics as eligibility rules continue to change.
However, the issue is far from settled. The new conference rules could face legal challenges as the larger court battle over NCAA eligibility continues. The ACC and Big 12 are also considering similar restrictions, meaning the debate could spread across college athletics in the coming days.
For now, the SEC and Big Ten have made their positions clear: once an athlete has crossed into professional sports, their college career should be over. With lawsuits and eligibility disputes still ongoing, however, this battle is likely to continue well beyond the start of the 2026 season.
