NFL Bars Two Players From Signing After Attempted LSU Return

The NFL has told its clubs that Zxavian Harris and Dae’Quan Wright are ineligible to visit, try out for or sign with NFL teams during the 2026 season after the two attempted to return to college football and play for LSU. The memo creates a new professional consequence on top of the earlier NCAA and SEC eligibility fight.

Both players were eligible for the 2026 NFL draft and had NFL opportunities before pursuing a return to college. LSU ultimately left them off its opening roster, and the NFL now says their post-training-camp college participation makes them ineligible for league transactions this season.

The NFL Decision Is Separate From Whether They Could Play for LSU

The earlier legal fight focused on college eligibility and an SEC rule barring players with professional experience from returning. The NFL memo answers a different question: whether teams can use Harris or Wright as pro players in 2026.

The League Closed Three Doors at Once

According to the memo, clubs may not bring either player in for a visit, give them a tryout or sign them. That makes the consequence broader than simply being unsigned after camp; the league is telling all 32 teams they are not eligible for those transactions this season.

The Memo Also Warns Teams to Check Other Borderline Cases

Harris and Wright were the only players named, but the NFL said the list was not necessarily exhaustive. Clubs were told to verify eligibility and warned that violations can bring fines or the loss of draft picks.

For These Two Players, the 2026 Path Is Now Closed on Both Sides

LSU did not put Harris or Wright on its opening roster, and the NFL memo blocks a return to an NFL club this season. An eligibility experiment that began as a route back to college has now limited their professional options as well.

References: NFL says teams can’t sign Zxavian Harris, Dae’Quan Wright after they attempted to play for LSU