Cleveland Browns tight end Dae'Quan Wright is on the verge of becoming the first football player to re-enter college football after signing with an NFL team. Wright, an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi, is set to be waived by the Browns.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, if Wright clears waivers he has an agreement in place to transfer to LSU and return to college football.
Wright was a second-team All-SEC selection last season with Mississippi under then-coach Lane Kiffin. Kiffin has since moved to LSU, and Wright is now set to play for him again in Baton Rouge.
Court ruling opens the door
The move follows a temporary restraining order Wright secured from a Louisiana state court, which granted him a fifth season of college eligibility. The order comes just days before the start of the college football season.
Wright's push for a fifth year follows a separate legal battle in which multiple college basketball players have sued the NCAA over eligibility, a fight that has dragged on for months with the basketball season approaching in November.
If successful, Wright would be the first player to sign with an NFL team and then return to college football. Several other players are reportedly looking to follow the same path.
Path to the Browns
After going undrafted, Wright signed with the Philadelphia Eagles before moving to the Browns. He played in the Browns' preseason game against the Buffalo Bills two days before the news of his planned move broke.
Browns coach Todd Monken addressed the situation on Saturday, saying he now understood why Kiffin had reached out to him a week earlier.
"I wondered why Lane Kiffin reached out a week ago," Monken said. "Now I know. S***, I didn't know, now I know. I didn't call him back, I guess now I should've."
Wright's college career
Wright began his college career in 2022, playing two seasons at Virginia Tech before transferring to Mississippi. Last season he caught 39 passes for 635 yards and five touchdowns for the Rebels, and he also caught a touchdown pass in the College Football Playoff semifinal against Miami.
