A sideline remark from Lane Kiffin during LSU’s opener against Clemson has turned into a bigger problem. “Imagine if we had pro players,” Kiffin said as the Tigers rolled to a blowout win. That comment is now tied to the roster decision that left former Ole Miss tight end Dae’Quan Wright and teammate Zxavian Harris without a spot in 2026.
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On September 8, LSU filled its last two roster spots with returning players Aidan Anding and Gabriel Reliford. The move locked the Tigers’ 105-man roster and closed the door on Wright and Harris. It happened even after the two players won a Louisiana court case allowing them to use a fifth year of eligibility. According to Drew Rosenhaus, the player’s agent, LSU’s latest decision has left the player in a cloud of uncertainty.
“We thought Dae’Quan Wright was gonna play at LSU, and he won a court case that said he could play at LSU,” Rosenhaus spoke on The Pat McAfee Show on September 9. “I feel for him because now he might not be able to play anywhere this year.”
“Dae’Quan Wright is in limbo right now. Lane Kiffin fought hard to add Dae’Quan Wright, but the pressure from the SEC was unrelenting. They really wanted this to happen, but there was just too much at stake for LSU,” he added.
Louisiana Judge William Jorden first issued a temporary restraining order in mid-August. Those orders blocked the NCAA and SEC from stopping Wright and other members of the 2022 high-school class from using a fifth year. The ruling opened a path, but LSU would still face conference pressure if it chose to use that option.
The SEC passed a rule to ban former pros from returning to college football. In response, Wright and Harris moved to a Louisiana court to obtain a preliminary injunction against any future SEC decisions against LSU. The court granted the injunction last Thursday.
The same day, the league sued LSU and Kiffin in federal court in Alabama. Under pressure from the conference, Kiffin didn’t add Wright and Harris to his 105-man roster for Clemson. However, he left two spots vacant for a future possibility.
On Tuesday, September 8, the SEC filed an amended complaint that included a possible September 10 vote on kicking LSU out of the league. The Tigers have now completely ruled out putting the two players on the roster.
Wright was a tight end for Kiffin at Ole Miss and caught 39 passes for 635 yards and five touchdowns in 2025. He went undrafted in 2026, signed with the Eagles, then the Browns, and was waived in late August.
He wanted to return to LSU to work with Kiffin for further development and NIL money. Wright and Harris were teammates at Ole Miss for two seasons, and both came from the 2022 recruiting class. Both went undrafted and were waived during NFL training camp. Harris first planned to return to Ole Miss, but chose LSU after the Rebels asked him to move to the offensive line.
Wright now has almost nowhere to go. A player who returns to college after signing an NFL contract cannot play in the 2026 NFL season and would become a free agent only for 2027. A later LSU opening, due to injury or ineligibility, is still possible on paper.