LSU Tigers are expected to make a late but legit addition to their 2026 roster, but the juice may not be worth the squeeze
Lane Kiffin and LSU are adding a former NFL player, and it shows the image they believe is worth being risked.
Lane Kiffin knows it’s all about getting LSU back to its winning ways, and he’s proving it with every roster decision heading into his first season as the Tigers’ head coach.
Kiffin has been aggressive with changes to the LSU roster through the transfer portal, building the team he wants from the ground up. Now a unique opportunity has emerged for the Tigers to add another playmaker to the offense, and Kiffin is jumping on it.
Former Cleveland Browns tight end Dae’Quan Wright cleared waivers on Tuesday and is expected to sign with LSU on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Dae’Quan Wright brings NFL training camp experience to LSU
LSU already has Trey’Dez Green as its top tight end, likely the best at the position in all of college football. Adding Wright gives Kiffin a player with real NFL training camp experience, something virtually unheard of in the college game.
Wright was just with the Browns in their preseason game against the Buffalo Bills this past Saturday. He went through warm-ups and was in uniform with the potential to play. Cleveland did not play him in the game, but the fact remains that a player on an NFL roster is now expected to sign with the Tigers.
This is a first-of-its-kind situation in college football, made possible by a court ruling in Louisiana last week. That ruling allowed Wright, as one of 16 college football players, to receive another year of eligibility. The suit came after the NCAA implemented a five-year eligibility rule that excluded the high school class of 2022. Wright fell into that group, having previously played at Virginia Tech and Ole Miss under Kiffin. He had 635 receiving yards and five touchdowns in 2025 for the Ole Miss Rebels. He’s a capable SEC pass catcher at the tight end position, and Kiffin is now going to get to deploy him in Baton Rouge.
The optics of NFL players joining college rosters isn’t great here for LSU
The downside of all this is the optics. Many are looking down on NFL players joining college fall rosters, and it’s hard to blame them. These are players who gave up their amateurism for pro football, and there’s a strong argument that should be the path they stay on.
The Big Ten was the first conference to agreed to bar players who signed pro contracts from returning to college football. According to ESPN’s Heather Dinich, the SEC is following suit as well with not allowing former pro players to participate in its conference. Will there be appeals now? We’ll see. There’s going to be a lot of negativity around the thought of LSU adding Wright if he does suit up and play snaps for them this fall in Kiffin’s first year. Kiffin has made comments saying that if LSU doesn’t sign him, someone else will. In this case, it may be best to let someone else make the move.
Time will tell how the rest of college football responds to this kind of move and whether other conferences follow the Big Ten’s lead. For now, Kiffin is doing what he always does: finding every competitive edge available and not worrying about whether it’s popular.
