The NCAA has faced multiple high-profile lawsuits from student-athletes seeking a fifth year of eligibility. After the governing body introduced the “5-for-5” eligibility model, players faced a difficult situation and went straight to court. Now, former Texas OL Cole Hutson has also filed a lawsuit seeking a temporary injunction to play a fifth season in college.

According to On3‘s Pete Nakos, it is an age-based eligibility lawsuit against the NCAA, which adopted the “five-for-five” rule on June 23. Hutson is challenging the new model for its unfair exclusion of graduating seniors. He played in 48 games and made 23 starts over four seasons at Texas without ever utilizing a redshirt year.

According to the norms, athletes receive five years of full competition after enrolling. But the “5-for-5” eligibility model does not grant eligibility to athletes who played their fourth season of competition during the 2025–26 academic year. This rule has affected the class of 2022 the most.

Hutson is arguing that the new rule will be arbitrarily applied to players from the class of 2022. Those who didn’t go for a redshirt year in their first season will be deprived of another year. On the other hand, players who redshirt have an extra year of eligibility.

Moreover, the NCAA allowed baseball players to play a full professional minor league season in 2022, after high school graduation, before enrolling in college in 2023. The exemption did not disrupt their fifth year under the new rule.

According to the lawsuit, the model is also violating the Sherman Antitrust Act by denying 2025–26 graduates a fifth year to play. The latest judgement made by Judge Christopher Wagner of the Ohio Court of Common Pleas ruled that this model is “arbitrary and capricious.”

The court granted a preliminary injunction to 24 Division I men’s and women’s basketball players from the high school class of 2022. After the ruling, Hutson also filed his lawsuit in Travis County, Texas, on Friday, July 17, 2026.

Cole Hutson and his journey with the Texas Longhorns

Hutson was a four-star prospect from Frisco when he entered Austin. He never took a redshirt year and quickly established himself as a key contributor. He started all 13 games at right guard and was a key contributor in his freshman season.

He played a vital reserve and rotation role behind DJ Campbell. In the 2025 season, Hutson became the anchor for QB Arch Manning. After suffering a mid-season knee/leg injury against Kentucky that sidelined him for three games, he returned to finish the final five games of the season, starting at left guard.

Even off the field, Hutson has remained an A1 student, earning many academic accolades. In 2023, he earned a spot on the Academic All-Big 12 Second Team. He was also selected for the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll three separate times. With his legal battle, he wants to play for one more year while completing his master’s degree at the University of Texas.

The former Longhorn went undrafted in the 2026 NFL draft and attended rookie minicamps with Dallas and Cleveland.