Lane Kiffin, LSU to add former Ole Miss star after NFL try

LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Lane Kiffin, LSU to add former Ole Miss star after NFL try

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Aug 24, 2026 6:17 PM ET

Lane Kiffin wasn't exactly thrilled in the past about the direction college football was headed as it related to roster construction and eligibility.

That was ahead of 2025, when he was still the head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels. Now he's the head coach of the LSU Tigers, and players are being granted a fifth year of eligibility due to court injunctions centering around the NCAA"s new 5-in-5 eligibility guidelines.

Some of those players have even been on NFL rosters as undrafted free agents trying to make it in the league via OTAs or training camp.

Perhaps it's not all that surprising that Kiffin is welcoming back those players with open arms, as long as they're coming to Baton Rouge.

The Cleveland Browns recently waived tight end Dae'Quan Wright, and he's planning on coming to LSU if he isn't claimed off waivers. In fact, he and the Tigers already have an "agreement".

Browns now officially have waived TE Dea'Quan Wright, who is on the verge of becoming the first player to go from an NFL roster back to college football. Wright has an agreement in place with LSU if he goes unclaimed on waivers.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 24, 2026

Another player commits to LSU after suiting up for an NFL team

Now it's coming out that former Ole Miss defensive tackle Zxavian Harris is going to commit to LSU.

Harris played for Kiffin at Ole Miss and was a starter for all 15 games for the Rebels in 2025. He went unselected in the 2026 NFL Draft, but he signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent.

He had foot surgery in March, and the Saints placed him on the active/non football injury list in late July. They then cut him with a non-football injury designation in early August.

He's now going back to college football and transferring to LSU:

BREAKING: Former Saints DL Zxavian Harris has committed to LSU, @Hayesfawcett3 reports

Harris played college ball at Ole Miss. https://t.co/ugW786IOck pic.twitter.com/EZimC7GvPb
— On3 (@On3) August 24, 2026

Harris seemingly took Kiffin leaving Ole Miss for LSU very personally, but that's apparently all in the past.

One would imagine that a nice NIL package from LSU has something to do with that from Harris' point of view. And for Kiffin and the Tigers, they're bringing in a 6-foot-8, 330-pound big man who notched 58 tackles, nine tackles for loss and three sacks in 2025.

Truly, anything can happen, and anything is fair game in college football in 2026.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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