Class of 2022 Athletes Scramble Toward College Returns After Federal Eligibility Ruling

A federal judge in Denver handed the NCAA a sweeping defeat on Friday when U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte Sweeney granted a class-wide preliminary injunction requiring the NCAA to declare all high school Class of 2022 athletes eligible for a fifth season of college competition. The ruling, which applies to all Division I players who began their college careers in the 2022-23 academic year and have since exhausted four seasons of eligibility, arrived 29 days before the 2026 college football season is scheduled to kick off and immediately set off a scramble across the country.

The injunction directly undercuts the NCAA's existing 'five-for-five' eligibility framework, which was designed to take effect for athletes enrolling in fall 2027. In June, the NCAA had approved a new Division I eligibility model allowing five seasons of competition over a five-year window beginning with full-time enrollment. Sweeney's ruling bypasses that timeline, finding that affected players would suffer irreparable harm without court intervention. The NCAA's chief legal officer, Scott Bearby, issued a memo indicating the governing body intends to appeal.

Without targeted intervention from Congress, college sports cannot set nationwide rules everyone can play by and without Congress, failed professionals will continue to use college sports as a fallback option — robbing the next class of young athletes of college scholarships.

— NCAA President Charlie Baker

Notable Players Weighing Returns

Among the most prominent names exploring a return is former Florida State quarterback Tommy Castellanos, who accounted for over 3,300 yards of total offense and 24 touchdowns during the 2025 season before going undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft. Castellanos is open to returning as a quarterback or offensive weapon, and several programs have already expressed interest. Former Georgia safety JaCorey Thomas, who went undrafted and received a minicamp invitation from the Carolina Panthers, is also weighing a return to Athens, according to his representatives. Former Ohio State kicker Jayden Fielding, a three-year starter who converted 45 of 57 career field goal attempts, is exploring a return as well, though Ohio State has already installed former Baylor kicker Connor Hawkins as its projected starter. Former James Madison inside linebacker Trent Hendrick, the reigning Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year, and ULM defensive end Kevontay Wells are among the Sun Belt figures who have expressed interest. Kentucky linebacker Alex Afari Jr., who posted 61 tackles and seven tackles for loss during the 2025 season before going undrafted and being released from a Green Bay Packers minicamp invite, is also considering a return to Lexington.

The timing of the ruling creates significant logistical challenges. Most programs are on the verge of fall camp or have already begun practice, with starters named at several positions. Players who return will have roughly 15 practice sessions before the season begins. Sweeney's injunction also bars the NCAA from preventing affected athletes from entering the transfer portal, meaning eligible players are free to return to their previous programs or seek a new home. The ruling mirrors the framework of the Protect College Sports Act, a bipartisan bill currently before the Senate that would formalize a five-year eligibility window for all student-athletes.