The Big Ten is putting its foot down.
The conference has unanimously approved a rule that will prevent players who have entered the NFL from returning to college football and joining a team in the conference, according to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Under the new rule, players who declared for the NFL Draft and did not withdraw, appeared on an NFL roster or signed a contract with a professional league simply won’t be eligible for a Big Ten roster. The rule change comes as several former college players have explored returning to the college game after being released by NFL teams.
Big Ten says NFL players can’t return
The issue gained steam after LSU added former Cleveland Browns tight end Dae’Quan Wright, as well as former New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Zxavian Harris. Both players were among 16 athletes granted a chance to receive a fifth year after a Louisiana court issued a temporary restraining order allowing NFL players to return to college football.
The SEC also announced Monday that it opposed NFL players returning to college football, while coaches around the country have expressed concerns about the situation.
Ohio State‘s Ryan Day indicated his program would consider eligible players if necessary, while Oregon‘s Dan Lanning opposed the idea, pointing to roster limits and concerns about taking spots away from players who had already spent the offseason preparing for the season.
“Do I like anything about it? Absolutely not,” Day said, according to ESPN’s Heather Dinich. “But we got to do what’s right for Ohio State. So it’s sort of a day-to-day thing right now, and like anything, we’re just going to try to adapt.”
So, the Big Ten is just saying, “No.” We’ll see if it sticks.
