LSU · SECJudge opens LSU path for Daequan Wright, Walter Harris
The former Ole Miss players could add depth before LSU visits Ole Miss on Sept. 19, but neither made the Clemson-opener roster.
SEP 5, 2026
The Pate State · Editorial IllustrationLSU’s 2025 record
Wright’s 2025 production
Harris’s 2025 production
01 · The NewsJudge Opens LSU Path
A Louisiana judge’s Sept. 3 injunction barred the SEC and NCAA from penalizing LSU for using former NFL players, opening a path for former Ole Miss standouts Daequan Wright and Walter Harris to play for the Tigers in 2026.
The ruling did not put either player on LSU’s roster for Saturday, Sept. 5, against Clemson. Both are enrolled at LSU and could join the team later, but the school has not said whether it will add them.
That leaves No. 11 LSU with the option of adding two productive veterans before its Sept. 19 trip to No. 9 Ole Miss — and puts the SEC’s ban on former professionals returning to college football under a court challenge. Josh Pate’s preseason bracket has LSU as the No. 8 playoff seed, so the decision could affect a projection built on the Tigers’ depth.
02 · The StakesWhy This One Matters
Wright caught 39 passes for 635 yards and five touchdowns for Ole Miss in 2025. Harris made 58 tackles, three sacks and an interception. Their former team went 13-2 and reached the College Football Playoff semifinals; LSU went 7-6 and 3-5 in SEC play. The additions would not immediately remake LSU’s lineup. Wright is expected to back up tight end Trey'Dez Green, while Harris would add defensive-line depth rather than start. Wright practiced with LSU for two days before the Clemson opener and said he had prepared on his own while waiting for the chance to practice. “I've been working out doing my own thing before I was able to practice, so I'm definitely well prepared,” Wright said.
03 · The Detail Beneath the HeadlineWhat Most People Are Missing
The Sept. 3 injunction followed an earlier temporary restraining order that allowed Wright and Harris to compete during the 2026 season. Both were members of the 2022 recruiting class and challenged the NCAA’s handling of its five-for-five eligibility policy.
Judge William Jorden’s later order prevents the SEC and NCAA from punishing a school that puts former NFL players on the field. The SEC had adopted a rule aimed at stopping players who signed NFL contracts from returning to one of its 16 schools. LSU could still face further SEC consequences, and neither the conference nor the NCAA has said whether it will pursue another legal move.
Wright committed to LSU after the Philadelphia Eagles waived him Aug. 10. The Cleveland Browns claimed him the next day, played him in a preseason game against Buffalo on Aug. 22 and waived him two days later. Harris signed with the New Orleans Saints before the team waived him Aug. 10.
Both reunited with Lane Kiffin, who left Ole Miss for LSU after the 2025 regular season. Harris said Friday, Sept. 4, that he initially planned to return to the Rebels, but their staff had a different position in mind for him, moving him from defensive tackle toward the offensive line.
“I've been working out doing my own thing before I was able to practice, so I'm definitely well prepared”
Daequan Wright04 · The PersonnelNext Man Up
Wright’s 2025 production gives LSU an experienced second tight end behind Green, who had seven touchdown receptions last season. Wright also improved from 27 catches for 394 yards in 2024 to 39 for 635 in 2025. Harris, a 6-foot-8 defensive lineman, finished last season with 58 tackles, three sacks and an interception. LSU expects him to work into the rotation rather than take a starting job immediately. Their timetables are different. Wright said he could be ready for Clemson, though his absence from the opening roster left that unresolved. Harris said he needed a couple of weeks and expected to be ready for the Sept. 19 game at Ole Miss.
05 · The ThesisThe Pate State Read
The first football gain is depth, not a new starting lineup. Wright would give LSU another option behind Green, and Harris could add a veteran body to the defensive line if he is ready by the Ole Miss game. The decision also carries a clear cost for LSU to weigh: adding the players could strengthen a team ranked No. 11 in the AP Top 25 while prolonging its fight with the SEC. LSU hosts Louisiana Tech on Sept. 12 before traveling to Ole Miss one week later. The first check is LSU’s roster after the Clemson opener. Then comes Wright’s status for Louisiana Tech and Harris’ availability for the Sept. 19 game at Ole Miss, where Kiffin will face his former team and both players could return to their old stadium in LSU uniforms. For now, the court has cleared the path. LSU still has to decide whether Wright and Harris will walk through it.
06 · The Watch ListWhat We're Watching
Roster decision
The first check is LSU’s roster after the Clemson opener.
Wright’s availability
Then comes Wright’s status for Louisiana Tech.
Harris at Ole Miss
Harris’ availability for the Sept. 19 game at Ole Miss will show whether he is ready to return.