---
title: "NFL Rookies Eye College Return Amid Eligibility Ruling"
url: https://www.hereclinton.com/2026/08/20/nfl-rookies-college-return-eligibility/
date: 2026-08-20T17:22:47+00:00
modified: 2026-08-20T17:22:47+00:00
author: "Marty Castellanos"
categories: ["Sports"]
site: "HERE Clinton"
attribution: "HERE Clinton"
---

# NFL Rookies Eye College Return Amid Eligibility Ruling

*Source: [HERE Clinton](https://www.hereclinton.com/2026/08/20/nfl-rookies-college-return-eligibility/) — August 20, 2026 by Marty Castellanos*

Some players who signed NFL contracts are exploring a return to college football as NFL roster cuts approach on August 30. This development follows a recent NCAA eligibility ruling in Colorado and subsequent legal actions.

District Judge Charlotte Sweeney clarified on August 2 that NCAA rules would still apply to players who signed NFL contracts, making them ineligible to return to college. However, teams have maintained contact with various players, and some are now considering filing lawsuits to enable their return to college and potentially enter the transfer portal.

On Wednesday, 16 players in Louisiana were granted a temporary restraining order, which clears a path for them to return to college football in 2026. Among these players is Buccaneers rookie and former LSU standout Jack Pyburn.

Last week, a smaller group of football players, including former Arizona State All-Big 12 Myles Rowser, also received temporary restraining orders. These orders provide eligibility protection regardless of the Colorado ruling’s outcome and allow them to enter the transfer portal.

Other notable players, such as Indiana defensive lineman Stephen Daley, who recorded 19 tackles for loss last season for the national champion Hoosiers, have already returned to college following the Colorado ruling, after previously exhausting their college eligibility.

These events unfold as the college football season is set to begin in just over a week, and while the NCAA awaits a ruling from the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit regarding the Colorado preliminary injunction.