Injunctions have become as prolific as interceptions in the world of college sports. The latest from a Colorado judge is giving some college athletes a second chance.
The NCAA implemented the new 5-for-5 eligibility rule this summer to provide some clarity moving forward. Instead of forcing the NCAA to grant waivers for athletes who suffered an injury, the institution is keeping it simple. You have 5 years to play 5 seasons of college sports. The clock begins once an athlete enrolls in college or during the academic year following their 19th birthday, whichever comes first.
This rule was created in June. Why is it so newsworthy now?
The judge’s injunction is opening the floodgates for this rule to apply to every athlete who just completed their college career in four years, allowing members of the high school class of 2022 to participate in college athletics during the 2026-27 season.
Tricky Timing
Preseason training camps for football programs begin this week. Will coaches be willing to make a move this close to the start of the season? If depth at certain positions is bad enough, or they suffer an unexpected injury, the answer is probably “Yes.”
Many players are vying for spots in NFL Training Camps. They’ll have to handicap their chances to make an NFL roster before considering another year of college football. Dane Key will probably earn a solid salary with the Broncos, but Alex Afari is the prototype for someone who may be better suited to return to college.
Most college basketball rosters are set, but some coaches, like Mark Pope, have a roster spot or two available. The time crunch isn’t as crazy as their football counterparts; however, what’s left in the budget? Some of the players you will see below have plenty of proven production. They could command top dollar if those dollars are still available.
The number of players inserting themselves into the open market is growing rapidly. The following lists are incomplete. Pete Nakos is tracking all of the college football free agents, while Joe Tipton is holding court in hoops for On3.
Alex Afari, Linebacker, Kentucky
He led the Cats in TFLs over the past two seasons. The former Kentucky starting linebacker’s brother tells Pete Nakos that he could return to Lexington.
Cazeem Moore, EDGE, Virginia
Kentucky’s previous coaching staff targeted this former FCS player ahead of the 2024 season.
Clifton Thompson, DT, Central Connecticut State
The 350-pound nose was an all-conference selection a year ago. He’ll garner plenty of attention from power conference programs.
Desmond Reid, RB, Pitt
The former Western Carolina running back has 1,244 rushing and 896 receiving yards in two ACC seasons. He was cut by the Bills in June.
Stephen Daley, DL, Indiana
Although he has yet to confirm that he will explore college options, Daley was arguably the Hoosiers’ top defensive lineman (19 TFLs) when he suffered a freak injury following the Big Ten Championship.
Thomas Castallanos, QB, Florida State
The dual-threat QB helped Boston College overachieve before he spent the 2025 season at Florida State.
College Basketball Players in the Portal
Mark Mitchell, PF, Missouri
A two-time All-SEC selection, the versatile forward averaged 18.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game last year at Mizzou.
Riley Kugel, SG, UCF
The former Florida wing is a career 42.3% three-point shooter. He averaged 14.4 points per game last season at Central Florida.
Skyy Clark, PG, UCLA
The one-time Kentucky commit spent time at Illinois and Louisville before landing at UCLA. He started in 23 games last season, averaging 11.5 points and 2.0 assists per game.
Donovan Dent, CG, UCLA
A previous transfer portal target for Mark Pope, he initially announced that he would retire from basketball. Now he’s preparing for another year of college hoops after tallying 13.3 points per game for Mick Cronin.
AJ Storr, G, Ole Miss
The college basketball journeyman let down the Kansas faithful as a junior, but had a solid bounce back for Ole Miss last year, tallying 15.5 points per game.
Kamrin Oriol, G, North Florida
A prolific scorer in the A Sun, he had a breakthrough as a senior, tallying 20.9 points per game while shooting 48% from the floor.
One Intriguing Player from Pope’s Past
Richie Saunders is the one that got away from Mark Pope. The BYU wing visited Kentucky shortly after Pope arrived in Lexington, but ultimately decided to remain in Provo. He earned All-Big 12 honors and was averaging 18 points per game when he suffered a season-ending knee injury in February.
The Memphis Grizzlies selected Saunders in the second round of this year’s NBA Draft, but he remains unsigned. Saunders could explore a return to college basketball. He clearly has the talent to drastically improve a roster, but when will he even be able to return to the floor from his ACL injury? It’s a fascinating story to follow.
