logo
Nevada WR Catches Court Win as NCAA Eligibility Cases Split

Nevada WR Catches Court Win as NCAA Eligibility Cases Split

Yahoo2 days ago
In the latest twist on whether college athletes whose NCAA eligibility has expired have a legal right to keep playing for NIL deals and preparation for pro sports, a federal judge in Nevada last Friday blocked the NCAA from rendering University of Nevada wide receiver Cortez Braham Jr. ineligible for what will be his seventh season in college sports.
U.S. District Judge Miranda M. Du's ruling, which the NCAA can appeal to the U.S. Court for the Ninth Circuit, sets the table for a potential circuit split that attracts the interest of the U.S. Supreme Court. Last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit reversed a ruling that would have allowed Wisconsin cornerback Nyzier Fourqurean to play a fifth season of college football in five years. Meanwhile, the NCAA and Vanderbilt quarterback and former JUCO transfer Diego Pavia, who last December received a court ruling to play another season this fall, wait for the Sixth Circuit to decide.
More from Sportico.com
Offsides: The Two House Dems Who Make GOP's SCORE Act 'Bipartisan'
NCAA Defeats Terrelle Pryor's Lawsuit Over Lost NIL Opportunities
Every Division I School's Revenue-Sharing Decision for 2025-26
As Sportico detailed when Braham sued in May, he played three seasons of JUCO football and then three seasons in D-I, including in 2024 when he started all 13 games for the Wolf Pack and was second in the team in receptions and receiving yards. Braham seeks to play another season so that he can sign NIL deals worth about $500,000 and develop his football skills in preparation for the NFL. He alleges that the loss of a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity' to play D-I football would not only negate lucrative NIL opportunities but would, as Du explained, 'impair his prospects of playing professionally, deprive him of essential training and competition experiences, and adversely affect his personal well-being and mental health.'
Through attorneys Brandon D. Wright and Gregg E. Clifton of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, Braham argues the five-year rule, which limits athletes to four seasons of intercollegiate competition—including JUCO competition—in any one sport within a five-year window, runs afoul of antitrust law. He insists the rule shouldn't apply to time spent at a junior college since such an educational institution is not governed by the NCAA and because the rule doesn't apply to athletes who do a post-graduate year after high school or partake in other activities including, Du writes, 'military service, religious missions, professional careers in other sports, or independent athletic or academic work.' The basic logic: Why should going to a junior college count against the clock, but a post-graduate year, military service, religious mission or a pro career in another sport not count?
Du agreed with Braham that he is part of a labor market for D-I college football given 'it is the sole pathway to NFL opportunities, and participation provides unique benefits, including NIL compensation, which are not available elsewhere, including at the JUCO level.' She also reasoned that in the current college sports world where athletes can sign NIL deals and now share revenue pursuant to the House settlement, eligibility rules are 'commercial' in nature and thus subject to antitrust scrutiny when they restrain economic opportunities.
The judge also endorsed Braham's antitrust arguments, including that the five-year rule 'results in commercial harm' to JUCO players, who are 'excluded from the various benefits' conferred in D-I football. Those benefits include 'more exposure, potentially better competition and coaching, and financial advantages due to the NIL opportunities.'
Likewise, Du wasn't persuaded by the NCAA's assertion that the five-year rule preserves college athletics as a unique product that is distinguishable from pro sports. She stressed that justification 'runs counter to the NCAA's other exceptions to its five-year rule that allow for older students to join after prep school, military service and/or religious obligations.'
The judge also didn't buy the NCAA's assertion that exempting JUCO years from the five-year rule would enable athletes to 'compete indefinitely' at JUCO before transferring to a D-I school or that the rule 'ensures natural degree progression.' Du kept stressing that exceptions under the five-year rule for other pursuits, such as a post-graduate year, 'highlights the unfairness of treating JUCO competition as analogous to D-I competition.'
Further, Du found that even though much of Braham's desire to keep playing is to land what he says are about $500,000 in NIL deals, the receiver would suffer irreparable harm without an injunction. In law, irreparable harm generally means the kind of harm that money damages can't later remedy if a case goes to trial and wins. Of course, an estimated loss of $500,000 could be remedied by money since it is a quantifiable figure.
But Du reasoned that 'regardless' of whether NIL offers 'may result in calculable monetary compensation,' the more salient point (in her view) is that 'forgone opportunity to 'market' one's 'name' and 'likeness' and to 'showcase abilities to future employers' cannot be estimated or quantified.' She also referenced how playing another season will impact Braham's NFL and pro football prospects and that 'constitutes a unique harm' that can't be fully compensated by money.
In another adverse take on an NCAA argument, Du found unconvincing the NCAA's point that Braham—and by logical extension those similarly situated—playing another year would displace other athletes. One displaced athlete is the player whose scholarship and spot on the Wolf Pack football roster this fall is predicated on Braham not being on the roster. 'The NCAA,' Du wrote, 'failed to present any evidence of a fixed roster demonstrating proof of actual displacement.'
The NCAA can appeal Du's order to the Ninth Circuit. Many of the NCAA's arguments have persuaded other judges reviewing similar cases, particularly since there might not be a 'limiting principle' to athletes suing to keep playing. After all, if an athlete's forgone NIL opportunities and development of skills in preparation for a career in the NFL (or NBA, WNBA, etc.) are justifications under antitrust law to keep playing, athletes might sue to remain in college sports for several years, including while enrolled at a university as a grad student. The prospect of a split among federal circuits on whether the five-year rule complies with, or violates, antitrust law could attract the interest of the U.S. Supreme Court, since athletes (and universities) in different parts of the country would essentially have different rights.
In a statement shared with Sportico, an NCAA spokesperson said the association 'stands by its eligibility rules' as they 'enable student-athletes and schools to have fair competition and ensure broad access' to opportunities to play college sports.
The spokesperson also alluded to the prospect of Congress intervening to grant the NCAA an exemption from antitrust scrutiny on eligibility matters.
'As legal outcomes continue to differ from case to case,' the spokesperson said, 'the NCAA believes partnering with Congress is essential to provide clarity and stability for current and future student-athletes.'
Best of Sportico.com
College Athletes as Employees: Answering 25 Key Questions
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

NFL training camp 2025 news, live updates: Justin Fields reportedly carted off with injury at Jets practice
NFL training camp 2025 news, live updates: Justin Fields reportedly carted off with injury at Jets practice

Yahoo

time26 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

NFL training camp 2025 news, live updates: Justin Fields reportedly carted off with injury at Jets practice

All 32 NFL teams have reported to training camp, and there's no shortage of intrigue and storylines so far. Thursday started off concerningly for the Jets, as quarterback Justin Fields was carted off the field with a leg injury, according to SNY's Connor Hughes. We're tracking all the updates below. Advertisement On Wednesday, Brian Daboll made it clear in his first media availability of camp with the Giants that Russell Wilson is the team's unquestioned QB1. "The guys will be out here competing," Daboll said, "but Russ is our starter." Daboll also discussed rookie first-round pick Jaxson Dart and why he's sitting to start the season. "I think there are some real benefits from sitting and learning, especially with the experienced players and coaches here," he said, and referencing offensive coordinator Mike Kafka's experience on Kansas City's staff in 2017 when Patrick Mahomes sat behind Alex Smith for a year. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Also from Giants camp: franchise tackle Andrew Thomas will start training camp on the PUP list while working his way back from foot surgery last season, though general manager Joe Schoen expects him to be ready for Week 1. And star wide receiver Malik Nabers is a "full go" for training camp after recovering from a toe injury. Advertisement Who else will make headlines this week? We're rounding up the news, updates, position battles, contract drama and more you need to know. Off we go! NFL team feeds AFC East: Buffalo Bills | Miami Dolphins | New England Patriots | New York Jets AFC North: Baltimore Ravens | Cincinnati Bengals | Cleveland Browns | Pittsburgh Steelers AFC South: Houston Texans | Indianapolis Colts | Jacksonville Jaguars | Tennessee Titans AFC West: Denver Broncos | Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders | Los Angeles Chargers NFC East: Dallas Cowboys | New York Giants | Philadelphia Eagles | Washington Commanders NFC North: Chicago Bears | Detroit Lions | Green Bay Packers | Minnesota Vikings Advertisement NFC South: Atlanta Falcons | Carolina Panthers | New Orleans Saints | Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFC West: Arizona Cardinals | Los Angeles Rams | San Francisco 49ers | Seattle Seahawks Follow along below as Yahoo Sports tracks all the news, rumors and updates from NFL training camps:

New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields carted off practice field with apparent leg injury
New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields carted off practice field with apparent leg injury

Yahoo

time26 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields carted off practice field with apparent leg injury

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields was carted from the practice field Thursday morning with an apparent lower leg injury. Fields threw an incomplete pass to Jeremy Ruckert on his fifth play of team drills when he went down. The quarterback, in his first season with the Jets, sat on the grass for a few moments before getting up and limping to the sideline while helped by a trainer. It wasn't clear how the injury occurred in the Jets' second practice of training camp. The team had no immediate word on Fields' condition or the nature of the injury. Fields spent a few minutes in the injury tent on the sideline as trainers examined him before a cart came out to transport him into the facility. Fields sat in the passenger seat next to the driver in the cart and then got up under his own power before stepping inside to be further evaluated. First-year coach Aaron Glenn stopped the team period after Fields was hurt and the Jets ran special teams drills. Fields signed a two-year, $40 million contract as a free agent in March after playing last season in Pittsburgh and is expected to be New York's starter this season. Veteran Tyrod Taylor, in his second season with the Jets, is the backup and replaced Fields in team drills. New York also has Adrian Martinez, the 2024 United Football League MVP, and rookie Brady Cook on its roster, but neither has thrown a pass in an NFL game. If Fields is sidelined for a significant amount of time, the Jets could be in the market for an experienced quarterback. ___ AP NFL:

Jets QB Justin Fields carted off practice field with apparent leg injury, reports say
Jets QB Justin Fields carted off practice field with apparent leg injury, reports say

Yahoo

time26 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Jets QB Justin Fields carted off practice field with apparent leg injury, reports say

The New York Jets officially have their first injury scare of the summer, and it's a big one. Starting QB Justin Fields was carted to the locker room after limping off the field Thursday morning with an apparent lower leg injury during practice, according to multiple reports. What happened to Justin Fields? Fields reportedly pulled up during a play in team drills after an incompletion to tight end Jeremy Ruckert. After the throw, he sat on the ground momentarily before he limped off the field. Fields was being attended to by a trainer in the injury tent before he sat in the passenger seat of a cart and eventually walked into the facility. While the severity is still unknown, this could have massive implications if Fields, who signed a two-year, $40 million contract in free agency this offseason, was to miss an extended period of time during training camp, preseason or worst-case scenario if it was something that sidelined him until the regular season or further into the future. Once Fields headed to the locker room, backup QB Tyrod Taylor took over first team snaps for the Jets. This article originally appeared on Justin Fields injury: Jets QB carted off practice field with apparent leg injury

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store