Six days ago, six of Josh Heupel’s players got their 2026 NFL Combine invites. But interestingly, the star Tennessee QB was nowhere in the conversation. Turns out, Joey Aguilar did get an invite; he just didn’t announce it while fighting for one more season in Knoxville. That tells you everything about where his head is right now as he tries to keep one foot in two worlds.

According to On3’s Chris Low, Joey Aguilar will attend the combine but only for 48 hours instead of the standard five-day window. The NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium runs through March 2, with QB drills set for Saturday, February 28. The QB plans to show up, check in, get evaluated, and get out before he does anything that could jeopardize his eligibility if the court rules in his favor. He’s treading on broken glass, and he knows it. 

Sources told On3 that a notice from the National Invitation Camp office through National Football Scouting Inc. went out to all 32 NFL teams, labeling Joey Aguilar as a limited participant. And that’s because he has a high chance of returning to college in 2026. 

“We’re at the point where we need to know something sooner as opposed to later, hopefully before the combine starts,” a source told On3. “We’re hopeful, and Joey is hopeful that he gets good news, but the combine experience will be helpful for Joey either way. He’s just not going to be able to get the full experience like the other quarterbacks attending.”

Joey Aguilar wants to be part of the reps, the interviews, and the medical checks. But it’s a return to Tennessee that he wanted in the first place. And with his eligibility ruling in limbo, there’s nothing much he could do except prepare for anything that could happen. The Vols QB appeared in Knox County Chancery Court with his legal team last Friday.

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“These issues are far-reaching,” Chancellor Chris Heagerty said. “I know this is a Tennessee court, but it’s my court. So I’m not going to get it wrong. It’s going to take a while, but it’s not going to take too long. You should have my opinion in very short order.”

Aguilar’s eligibility argument centers on a complex career path that began with a redshirt year at City College of San Francisco in 2019. After the pandemic wiped out his 2020 season, he played two years at Diablo Valley before transferring to Appalachian State and ultimately landing at Tennessee in 2025, where he started every game. He’s played three NCAA seasons and wants a fourth.

And even if Heagerty rules in his favor, Joey Aguilar is still planning the two-day combine appearance, just in case the NCAA appeals. That’s how uncertain this is. But while the legal battle plays out, one voice in the SEC has already made up his mind.

Paul Finebaum says Joey Aguilar will return to Tennessee

Paul Finebaum, speaking on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning, didn’t hesitate to give his take on Joey Aguilar’s future.

“My gut feeling is he’s going to play,” he said. “I’m basing that on very little, other than the fact that the judge kept referring to Tennessee as ‘we’… I think he took the weekend to make his decision, knowing that it was going to be skewed. But I just sense that Aguilar—they’re all different, but my feeling is he’s going to get an additional year.”

If Paul Finebaum is right, Joey Aguilar stands to make north of $2 million in NIL with another season at Tennessee. He’s not projected as a high-round pick in this draft. Another year could boost his stock, stack his resume, and put him in a different draft conversation entirely.

So yes, it’s a difficult situation, and of course, he’s uneasy. But Joey Aguilar is also prepared. Indianapolis is waiting while Knoxville is watching as a judge’s ruling could change everything in a matter of days.