The NCAA thought it had finally closed the book on the eligibility mess. Then a federal judge cracked it back open, spreading the chaos, and coaches across the country started making phone calls they never expected to make in August. Those calls reached former players from James Madison and Western Kentucky.

According to On3’s Ethan McDowell, Michigan has reached out to two LBs chasing an unexpected fifth year of eligibility. The players are former Colorado and Western Kentucky standout Jaylen Wester and ex-James Madison star Trent Hendrick, who both crossed the 100-tackle mark last season. The conversations remain in the early stages.

“Talks have not advanced far with U-M yet,” McDowell reported.

Still, the Wolverines aren’t wasting time exploring an opportunity that didn’t exist a few days ago. Both Jaylen and Trent are from the 2022 “forgotten class” that should’ve exhausted their eligibility in 2026, per the NCAA’s new rule. But if the recent court ruling stands, experienced LBs like them instantly become some of the most valuable names on the market. So how did this situation become possible? 

Everything changed after Judge Charlotte Sweeney handed down a preliminary injunction in Colorado. Her ruling gave 2022 recruits a shot at getting another season, at least for now. Coaches who thought their rosters were set suddenly had to start making calls again.

The NCAA rolled out its new “5-for-5” eligibility plan earlier this summer and called it a fix for the future. The only problem is that it started with the 2023 recruiting class. Anyone who signed in 2022 was left standing on the outside looking in. They burned through four seasons and never even got the extra COVID year. That didn’t sit well. 

Minnesota guard Cade Tyson and a group of athletes took the NCAA to court, arguing their class was singled out for no good reason. Judge Sweeney agreed the plaintiffs had shown a strong likelihood of succeeding while granting the injunction. 

“Plaintiffs have met their burden at every step,” she wrote. “They are likely to succeed on the merits of their Section 1 claim. They will suffer irreparable harm without issuance of an injunction. And the balance of equities, as well as the public interest, favor them.”

And yes, this is not the first time Michigan has made a move like this. In August 2025, the Wolverines added fifth-year Columbia linebacker Rocco Milia just weeks before the season. Milia brought experience after starting 18 games and recording 103 tackles over his final two years at Columbia, along with deep family ties to Michigan.

Michigan made an even later move in 2022. Eyabi Okie entered the transfer portal on August 15 and enrolled at Michigan only three days later, just two and a half weeks before the season opener.

The fight isn’t over yet. The NCAA isn’t backing off and has already said it’ll appeal, arguing the ruling throws college sports into fresh confusion and runs against the House v. NCAA settlement. In other words, every school making calls today is recruiting players who technically may never become eligible. That’s the uncertainty surrounding Kyle Whittingham’s latest move. Still, Michigan’s interest becomes easier to understand when you look at the production.

Why Jaylen and Trent Hendrick make sense for Kyle Whittingham’s Michigan

Trent Hendrick put together one of the best defensive seasons in the Sun Belt last year at James Madison. He racked up 106 tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles on his way to Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year. He later attended rookie minicamps with the Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns before the court ruling unexpectedly put another college season back on the table.

Jaylen Wester has taken the long road. He started at FAU, spent a season under Deion Sanders at Colorado alongside his brother, LaJohntay, then hit the portal again after logging 15 tackles in 11 games. That move paid off. At Western Kentucky, everything clicked. He piled up more than 100 tackles, added seven tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles, finishing as the Hilltoppers’ leading tackler.

Michigan’s LB room has promising young talent, but proven production is harder to find. That’s why reaching out makes perfect sense, even if nobody can promise these players will actually suit up this fall. Right now, this is just about staying prepared. If the appeals fail and the injunction survives, schools that moved early could suddenly land veteran starters without ever opening a traditional recruiting battle. If the NCAA wins its appeal, all these will just be a what-if story.