Buckle up, folks, because there has been yet another development in the case for Class of 2022 athletes and their eligibility for the 2026-2027 athletic year. The majority of athletes who were deemed eligible under the Colorado federal court case, allowing them to return for a fifth year as long as they haven't signed a pro contract, are now no longer eligible.
If you feel like you have whiplash from following all of this, you aren't alone. All of this does affect Illinois, though, because head coach Bret Bielema announced this past week that the Illini added two players using the federal injunction for Class of 2022 athletes: tight end Peyton Smith and wide receiver Josh Lorick.
Lorick has been working with Illinois for a few practices now, and Smith was set to begin practices on Friday, but all of that will probably now be put on hold with the latest development on all these lawsuits.
Newest Illinois additions are longer eligible this season...for now
News broke on Friday that the Class of 2022 athletes as a whole lost their fifth-year eligibility due to a stay on the federal injunction from the case in a U.S. District Court in Colorado that granted them that eligibility. The only athletes to still hold their fifth years are those directly named as a plaintiff in individual lawsuits against the NCAA, like those in the Louisiana court case this week that granted a TRO to 16 players who signed NFL contracts this offseason.
BREAKING: The Tenth Circuit has GRANTED the NCAA’s stay request in Wisne v. NCAA.
— Austin Massey (@austinmasseySBI) August 21, 2026
Judge Sweeney’s nationwide injunction is now stayed pending appeal, meaning qualifying Class of 2022 athletes lose its federal fifth-season protection for now. pic.twitter.com/i3ASE2TmHi
Neither Lorick nor Smith was named in the Louisiana case or had individual lawsuits against the NCAA like former Florida State quarterback Thomas Castellanos, who was just granted a fifth year of eligibility through a temporary injunction.
So until then, both players are again ineligible to play for Illinois. Bielema told the media he had added the two players to the roster to help with depth in the wide receiver and tight end rooms, especially after losing players to injuries at both positions.
Now, there is no guarantee this will all stick, as the stay on the federal injunction is still pending appeal. Smith and Lorick could choose to file their own personal lawsuits or join a larger one like the Louisiana lawsuit. It would be great for Illinois to get both guys back, as they bring a lot of playing experience that Illinois could use as depth at both positions.
Bielema spoke about adding other former Illinois players who had exhausted their four years after last season, like wide receiver Hank Beatty and Melvin Priestly, who are both currently in NFL Training Camps with the Titans and Lions. Those plans are obviously now on the back burner until all this legal action becomes clearer.
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