LSU Could Make College Football History With NFL Tight End Dae’Quan Wright
The path from college football to the NFL is supposed to be a one-way street.
Dae'Quan Wright could be about to change that.
The Cleveland Browns are waiving the tight end, and Wright has an agreement in place to play for LSU during the 2026 season if he clears NFL waivers, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Wright's agents, Drew Rosenhaus and Kyle Lincoln, confirmed the arrangement to ESPN.
If everything falls into place, Wright is believed to be the first player to sign with an NFL team and then return to play college football.
It's a situation that would have been nearly unthinkable just a few years ago, but a legal battle over NCAA eligibility has created a potential path back to the college game.
Dae'Quan Wright Has Already Been On Two NFL Rosters
Wright's unusual journey began after his college eligibility appeared to end following the 2025 season.
He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent before eventually being waived. Cleveland claimed Wright on Aug. 11, putting him on the Browns' roster during training camp.
Wright did not play in Cleveland's first two preseason games and had not practiced for more than a week because of an injury, according to Browns coach Todd Monken. He did, however, dress for Cleveland's preseason game against Buffalo on Saturday.
Then came the twist.
Wright officially entered the NCAA transfer portal Wednesday, even while still with an NFL organization.
How Can An NFL Player Go Back To College?
Wright is among a group of athletes challenging NCAA eligibility rules in court.
He graduated from high school in 2022 and had exhausted his eligibility under the previous rules. However, Wright and other athletes filed suit after they were excluded from a new NCAA eligibility structure that is scheduled to take effect next season.
Wright and other athletes involved in a Louisiana lawsuit were granted a temporary restraining order allowing them an opportunity to return to college for another season.
The larger legal picture remains complicated. A federal appeals court on Friday granted the NCAA a stay in a separate ruling involving athletes seeking an additional season. ESPN reports that decision does not eliminate the individual cases of athletes who have successfully obtained restraining orders through state courts.
In other words, Wright's potential LSU season isn't simply a case of an NFL player deciding he'd rather go back to school. His opportunity exists because of an ongoing legal fight over whether he should have another year of college eligibility.
Wright Would Reunite With Lane Kiffin At LSU
There's another major connection that makes LSU a natural landing spot.
Wright played for Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss during the 2024 and 2025 seasons before Kiffin became LSU's head coach.
Wright caught 39 passes for 635 yards and five touchdowns for the Rebels last season, giving Kiffin a player who already knows his system and has produced against SEC competition.
Even Browns coach Todd Monken appeared surprised by how the situation unfolded. When discussing Wright over the weekend, Monken revealed that Kiffin had recently tried to contact him, a conversation that suddenly made more sense once Wright's plans became apparent.
One Big Step Still Stands Between Wright And LSU
Wright isn't officially an LSU Tiger yet.
He first has to clear NFL waivers. That process gives other NFL teams an opportunity to claim his contract before he becomes free to move forward with his reported LSU agreement.
WAFB reported Sunday that Wright would join the Tigers if he clears waivers, while Schefter reported that other current and former NFL training camp players have also entered the college transfer portal. Wright, however, is reportedly the first of that group to fully commit to returning to a college program.
If no NFL team claims him and the remaining eligibility pieces hold up, LSU could find itself at the center of something college football has never seen before: a player who signed with NFL teams, went through NFL training camp, and then returned to Saturdays in the SEC.
And he could be doing it in purple and gold.
