A Novel Recruiting Pool
When Lane Kiffin dials a number, the person on the other end usually answers and takes the call. That wasn't the case for Cleveland Browns coach Todd Monken, who missed a call from the LSU coach over the weekend. "I wondered why Lane Kiffin reached out to me a week ago," Monken told reporters Sunday. "Now I know. I didn't call him back. I guess I should have."
The reason for Kiffin's call became clear later that day: Dae'Quan Wright, a tight end the Browns had waived Sunday morning, plans to play for LSU if he clears waivers, according to his agents, as reported by ESPN. Wright went undrafted after playing for Kiffin at Mississippi last season, and he is believed to be the first player to agree to return to college football after signing with an NFL team. He spent fewer than two weeks in Cleveland after the Philadelphia Eagles signed him and placed him on waivers in early August. Wright suited up against the Buffalo Bills Saturday but never left the sideline, as injuries had created a potential need.
Wright's return is part of a broader shift: several state court rulings have granted former college athletes a fifth year of eligibility, and Kiff has moved quickly to exploit the new landscape. LSU is also expected to add former Ole Miss defensive tackle Zxavian Harris, who spent time with the New Orleans Saints this offseason. Both Wright and Harris were among 16 former college athletes granted a temporary restraining order in Louisiana that allowed them to enter the transfer portal.
"Why are we recruiting them? Because we may end up playing against them," Kiffin said Monday, according to Seth Emerson of The Athletic. "And I don't think I'm unique. These guys are being recruited by a lot of guys across the country."
The Legal Foundation
The legal backdrop is a recent court ruling that extended the NCAA's five-year eligibility period to players who entered college in 2022. In June, the NCAA adopted an age-based eligibility rule allowing athletes to play five seasons, beginning no later than at age 19. The new model did not apply to players who entered college in 2022, like Wright and Harris. The lawsuit challenging that exclusion was filed by about 30 athletes in Louisiana, and the state's 19th Judicial District Court issued a temporary restraining order benefiting 16 football players, including Wright and Harris. Most plaintiffs are basketball players.
Several state courts have ruled in the players' favor, granting them eligibility for the upcoming school year while appeals proceed. On Friday, the NCAA won an unrelated federal case, but state court lawsuits, including the one in Louisiana, continue to favor athletes. This week, more NFL-return signings are likely as a result, even after the NCAA's Friday victory.
The Financial Equation
The financial calculations behind these moves are significant. During the weekend, another Kiffin recruit, Jack Pyburn, recorded two sacks for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a preseason victory over the New York Jets. Pyburn, who went undrafted after playing at Florida and LSU, can regain his eligibility if he terminates his contract and repays his earnings. His deal guarantees him $115,000 plus a $15,000 signing bonus. But LSU could pay him an estimated $1 million in name, image, and likeness (NIL) compensation, which exceeds the NFL full-season rookie minimum of $885,000. Pyburn described his situation as "kind of in the middle of a whirlwind" and "just trying to play football," as reported by The Athletic.
The money, to be clear, works both ways. A NFL rookie minimum sits at $885,000; the LSU NIL offer to a lineman like Harris may dwarf that figure. However, the NCAA's rule change was designed to let athletes earn income while competing in college.
Kiffin's Defense
Kiffin's pursuit has drawn criticism from some coaches, including Oregon's Dan Lanning. But Kiffin dismisses that criticism as unfair. He and the player deserve the chance: "At the end of the day, because of these rulings, they're either going to play for you, or they're going to play for someone else." He continued, "It's really wrong to be critical of these kids. They were granted a fifth year by a judge saying that they were wronged by the NCAA and that they should've had the fifth year all along, like all the kids moving forward will have a fifth year."
A New Recruiting Landscape
Kiffin's first season at LSU begins with the expectation of two former Ole Miss players on his roster. The 2026 season is only days away, and the court ruling has injected last-minute chaos into roster building across the sport. For K, the path is advantage—he sees the situation as a closing window that other coaches share.
"Why are we recruiting them? Because we may end up playing against them," he repeated, reinforcing that competitive logic will keep this fever going.
At the end of the day, as he explained, the decision is straightforward: "They're either going to play for you, or they're going to play for someone else."