SEC, Big 10 block return of NFL players to member schools
NBC Sports • • sports
Key Points:
- The Big Ten and SEC conferences have implemented new rules banning college football players who have signed professional contracts or declared for the NFL Draft without withdrawing from maintaining eligibility at their institutions.
- These moves come amid court decisions allowing players from the high school class of 2022 to return for a fifth year of college football, creating increased chaos in college sports eligibility.
- The SEC’s policy may lead to conflicts with schools like LSU, which plans to add former NFL player Dae’Quan Wright despite an injunction granting him additional eligibility.
- Both conferences appear to be leveraging these restrictions to build political support for the Protect College Sports Act, which would grant college programs antitrust exemptions and limit player freedoms.
- Critics argue that these actions prioritize protecting the college sports business model over addressing the underlying issues and rights of college athletes.
