LSU’s decision not to add former NFL players Dae’Quan Wright and XZavian Harris to the team this week leaves both players searching for their next move in their quest to play professional football this season.
Louisiana plaintiffs attorney Ryan Downton told Yahoo Sports on Tuesday that both “players are reviewing legal options” before moving forward after the culmination of a series of injunctions, state and federal lawsuits and SEC expulsion threats ultimately led to Lane Kiffin and LSU backing down from adding the athletes to the team’s 105-man roster.
Legal options could potentially include filing financial grievances since neither will make money this season for the Tigers.
Drew Rosenhaus, Wright’s agent, told ESPN that his client is waiting to hear from the NFL.
“When he left the Browns, there was no doubt he’d be able to play at LSU,” Rosenhaus said Wednesday on The Pat McAfee Show. “We were very careful during the interim period where LSU was getting heat from the SEC not to sign with LSU at that point. We did not want to lose his eligibility to go back to the NFL. He did not sign with LSU while all this stuff was up in the air, but the league is still trying to decide if they’re going to let him try out or join a team.
“We thought, as of Tuesday, we’d be able to, but it’s up in the air. I’m rooting for the young man. He just wants to play football.”
CBS Sports confirmed Tuesday night that sophomore cornerback Aidan Anding and junior defensive end Gabriel Reliford were the last two players added to the roster, seemingly ending a chaotic storyline that has dominated college football since the season began.
LSU deciding not to add the two ex-NFL players comes in the wake of the SEC’s threat to expel LSU from the conference, or at least seek the legal authority to do so. This follows Kiffin and the Tigers’ attempt to sign multiple players who had previously signed professional contracts and were granted temporary restraining orders to return to college sports under a new NCAA eligibility policy.
CBS Sports’ John Talty reported last week that multiple sources believed the league had the necessary votes to follow through if the Tigers refused to de-escalate the situation. But Kiffin may have done just that by leaving Wright and Harris off the official squad list, although the saga likely isn’t over yet.
Rosenhaus said Wednesday that multiple NFL teams are interested in Wright’s services, but the league hasn’t cleared him for an NFL return yet. Harris, who spent time with the Saints this offseason, is also reportedly trying to sign with an NFL team.
After last week’s Louisiana court ruling, Wright told ESPN that he was anxious to play college football again. That was before LSU decided not to sign him.
Wright collected 113 catches for 1,603 yards and nine touchdowns in his college career at Ole Miss before going undrafted in the 2026 cycle.
