The new 5-for-5 waiver for the class of 2022 has created a wave of uncertainty around college athletics, and a new precedent may have just been set for schools like Ohio State and others around the country looking to solidify their rosters as the season gets underway.
On Sunday, it was announced that former Ole Miss tight end and a current member of the Cleveland Browns, De’Quan Wright, was going to be cut by the Browns to sign with LSU for the 2026 season. Under the 5-for-5 waiver, it's allowed ... for now.
Is this something that Ohio State and Ryan Day would explore if it made sense? Day wouldn't completely shut down the idea, but did acknowledge the new world of college football that he has to maneuver, and offered a way to potentially help situations like this moving forward.
“I told myself I would stop saying this is crazy. So I’m not gonna say that," Day said. "But to think that we’re in a situation where we’re this late in the season, and our rosters are not locked in is frustrating at the very least ... So what does that mean for us? That’s the bottom line. In my opinion, the conferences have to decide if there’s a point where their rosters have to be locked in. Because once some of these guys become available, adding them to the roster is going to provide an advantage for certain teams. So we’re certainly having conversations; I’ve had conversations with (Big Ten Commissioner) Tony Petitti about this. I know he’s all over it and trying to do what’s best for the conference.
“But we also -- if there are teams that have some players out there who are cut from NFL rosters that are gonna be on other teams, we (Ohio State) have to at least consider it and look at it. Do I like anything about it? Absolutely not. But we gotta do what’s right for Ohio State. So it’s sort of a day-to-day thing right now. And like anything, we’re just gonna try to adapt."
He's doing exactly what should be done -- saying he's not in favor while not shutting the door to potentially improving his roster, now or in the future. Until it's decided at the conference or NCAA level that something like this has specific guidelines, there's no reason to shut it down entirely.
So while he wouldn't go so far as to call it 'crazy', he understands that the ever-changing landscape of college athletics can change at any moment.
“When I heard that, we were in a meeting, and someone says, 'LSU just got a commitment from the Browns’ tight end.' I said, ' We are certainly in a different world right now,' "Day said.
While some teams may look for external help with the season just days away, Day's Ohio State Buckeyes enter the season as the No. 1 team in the country and already have high expectations and lofty goals this season. So despite Ohio State looking at its roster with a belief that it is solidified, Day says he'll never say never. Until then, it's full steam ahead to the 2026 opener.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State coach Ryan Day on NFL players returning to college football
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