Former Ole Miss and NFL players Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris will not suit up for LSU this season, despite prior legal efforts to get the two an extra year of collegiate eligibility.
The Tigers on Tuesday finalized their 105-man roster with the addition of defensive end Gabriel Reliford and defensive back Aidan Anding, per multiple reports. LSU, when solidifying its roster, did not add Harris or Wright, although the school is enjoined in a Louisiana court order prohibiting the NCAA and SEC from enforcing eligibility rules against the two players and others.
Neither of the two players competed in the Tigers’ blowout win over Clemson on Saturday, though Wright had expressed optimism that he could make an in-game appearance during the week leading up to the 2026-27 season opener. Ryan Downton, the attorney representing Harris and Wright, said the players are now reviewing their legal options as it relates to their eligibility.
The school’s move followed a bombshell announcement on Tuesday that SEC presidents and chancellors will hold a meeting on Thursday to discuss the prospect of kicking LSU out of the league regarding its prior efforts to roster professional athletes and an alleged lack of institutional control. The SEC, which filed a federal lawsuit against the university, its athletics department, head football coach Lane Kiffin, and other LSU leaders last week, amended the suit and asked the judge in the case to prohibit LSU from taking action that would interfere with Thursday’s meeting.
The possibility of the SEC booting LSU from the league drew widespread reactions, with one of the most notable responses coming from U.S. Sen. John Kennedy. The Louisiana Republican, known for his off-the-cuff and witty slogans, was quick to contend that the mere idea of removing LSU from the SEC is foolish.
Beyond that, he seized the opportunity to push for the passage of the Protect College Sports Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at creating uniform eligibility rules, establishing guardrails around name, image, and likeness deals, limiting free transfers, and prohibiting in-season coaching departures. The legislation, which was introduced in the Senate, has not yet cleared its originating chamber, despite receiving endorsements from President Donald Trump, multiple power conferences, including the SEC, and legendary former Alabama coach Nick Saban.
“Throwing LSU out of the SEC would be bone-deep-down-to-the-marrow-stupid. Rocks in my driveway are smarter than that. What planet did the leaders at the SEC just parachute in from? Those people need to change their meds,” Kennedy said. “College sports need common-sense eligibility rules. The Senate needs to put an end to this chaos when we return.”
As it relates to Harris and Wright, the two players will not be returning to Oxford on Sept. 19 to compete against their former team in what is expected to be one of the signature games of the regular season.