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Judge Grants NCAA Fifth-Year Eligibility Injunction

Published August 1, 2026 · Updated August 1, 2026 · NBC Sports

A federal judge in Colorado has granted a class-wide preliminary injunction requiring the NCAA to declare eligible all athletes from the high school class of 2022 for a fifth season of competition.

The ruling comes after the NCAA adopted a rule allowing athletes five seasons of eligibility in four years. The decision could open the door for undrafted, unsigned free agents who graduated high school in 2022 to return to play college football in 2026. playerbros.org

Former Texas offensive lineman Cole Hutson, who participated in Browns and Cowboys rookie minicamps on a tryout basis, is specifically mentioned as benefiting from this ruling. Quarterback Diego Pavia, from the high school class of 2020, is not automatically covered by this ruling but could pursue his own court order for a fifth season.

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