A preliminary injunction issued last Friday by U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney in Colorado opened the door for members of the 2022 recruiting class who exhausted their eligibility after four consecutive seasons to return to college football in 2026. The ruling came after a group of athletes sued the NCAA, arguing they were unfairly excluded when the organization adopted its new age-based eligibility model. It applies to players who never redshirted and were previously out of eligibility under the NCAA's former rules.
The decision doesn't create a free-for-all. Players generally must return to the school where they played during the 2025 season because the transfer portal is closed to athletes who were not already in it. Players who have signed professional contracts -- such as NFL or CFL deals -- also are ineligible to return, though participation in rookie minicamps alone does not affect eligibility.
Schools, meanwhile, are under no obligation to make room after months of building their 2026 rosters and fall camp around the corner. Any decisions also carry uncertainty, as the NCAA is expected to appeal the injunction, potentially putting the eligibility of the 2022 class back in question.
CBS Sports' Chris Hummer and Matt Zenitz reported the names of more than a dozen FBS players who have already expressed interest in returning under the ruling. For some, the path back is straightforward. For others, roster spots have already been filled, creating difficult decisions for programs less than a month before the season begins.
Here's a look at the Power Four players who could be back on the field in 2026 and how realistic each return appears.
Thomas Castellanos, QB — Florida State
The former starting quarterback at Florida State has expressed interest in returning to play college ball for another year, but his spot on the roster is already filled. After initially exhausting his eligibility, the Seminoles turned to a veteran transfer as their replacement for Castellanos, bringing in former Stanford and Auburn transfer Ashton Daniels, who is set to be Florida State's Week 0 starter in 2026.
It really wouldn't make sense for the Seminoles to bring Castellanos back just 26 days before the opener and fall camp already underway.
Castellanos started his college career at UCF in 2022 before transferring to Boston College, where he made 20 starts in two seasons. He returned to the Sunshine State in 2025, starting all 12 games for Florida State while throwing for a career-high 2,760 yards with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Castellanos has 1,984 yards rushing and 24 touchdowns on the ground across three stops.
Jacob Holmes, DL & Cazeem Moore, EDGE — Virginia
Virginia already has the most experienced roster in the entire FBS when looking at career snaps. But one position group that lacks the same volume as others is the defensive front. Holmes and Moore both played meaningful snaps for the Cavaliers in 2025.
Holmes is an option that makes sense for Virginia to add after potential transfer defensive lineman Zion Wilson had his waiver for a sixth year denied by the NCAA in June. Holmes would bring more than 1,100 career snaps to the Cavaliers' defensive front after appearing in all 14 games last season. He started his career at Fresno State in 2022. He has 79 career total tackles, including 20.5 for loss with 11.5 sacks.
Moore transferred to Virginia last season after a three-year stint at Elon (FCS). He also played in all 14 games, recording 18 total tackles with three sacks.
Cole Hutson, OL — Texas
The path is open for Hutson to rejoin the Longhorns. He initially planned to return to Texas after receiving a temporary restraining order in his legal challenge against the NCAA, but the latest ruling clears the way for him to continue pursuing another year of eligibility.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian acknowledged at SEC media days the value of bringing back a player with Hutson's experience, saying the Longhorns would get a veteran presence in the locker room and on the offensive line if everything goes through.
"If we're fortunate enough to have him back, it'd be great," Sarkisian said.
Hutson played in 48 games and made 23 career starts at Texas, primarily taking snaps at right guard while also seeing time at center. His more than 1,800 career offensive snaps would make him not only the most experienced offensive lineman on Texas' 2026 roster, but the most experienced player overall.
Austin Jordan, S — TCU
Jordan started 12 games at nickelback for the Horned Frogs in 2025 and would add another piece to an experienced secondary should he return. TCU brings back a pair of starters in the backend with safety Jamel Johnson and cornerback Vernon Glover Jr., while also adding Louisiana Tech two-year starting safety Jacob Fields, who was named Conference USA's Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2025.
There's also a position battle brewing for the starting nickel spot this fall camp, with sophomore Julius Simms and redshirt junior Kylin Jackson both pushing for the job Jordan vacated. Would TCU feel comfortable giving that starting role back to Jordan? He was one of the top coverage defenders for the Horned Frogs last season, allowing just 12 catches for 91 yards on 21 targets.
Jayden Fielding, K — Ohio State
Fielding has the résumé to warrant another season, but an Ohio State reunion appears unlikely. The Buckeyes have already rebuilt their kicking room after Fielding initially exhausted his eligibility, with Baylor transfer Connor Hawkins expected to handle place-kicking duties this fall. Ohio State also added Notre Dame transfer Marcello Diomede and freshman Cooper Peterson to bolster the position, making a late change just weeks before the season difficult to envision.
Fielding appeared in 46 games across four seasons and handled Ohio State's place-kicking duties for the past three years, leading the Buckeyes in scoring each season while totaling 313 career points, the fifth-most in school history. He converted 45 of 57 career field-goal attempts, including 16 of 20 in 2025, and made 178 extra points (second in program history).
Justice Finkley, EDGE — Kansas
Kansas enters the 2026 season replacing every starter from its defensive line, making Finkley an intriguing potential return candidate under the ruling. The Jayhawks aren't starting from scratch at edge rusher with Alex Bray and Leroy Harris III returning, while Michigan State transfer David Santiago brings more than 700 career snaps across 22 games to add experience to the rotation.
Even so, Finkley would be a logical addition if the Jayhawks have the opportunity to bring him back. After transferring from Texas ahead of the 2025 season, he started all 12 games for Kansas and finished with 27 total tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
Myles Rowser, S — Arizona State
Arizona State aggressively retooled its secondary this offseason, adding five transfer defensive backs to help replace a unit that returns just one starter from last season. Even with those additions, Rowser would immediately become the most experienced defensive back on the roster if he were to return.
Rowser started 12 games in 2025 and logged more defensive snaps than any Sun Devils player last season, earning third-team All-Big 12 honors after finishing third on the team with 84 tackles.
He spent the past two seasons at Arizona State after transferring from New Mexico State following the 2023 campaign, and originally began his career at Campbell (FCS) in 2022. Should he rejoin the program, Rowser would bring nearly 2,300 career FBS snaps across 42 games, giving Arizona State an experienced leader for a secondary that underwent significant offseason turnover.
Ethan Sanchez, K — Houston
Houston would have a strong case for bringing Sanchez back after he turned in one of the best seasons by a kicker in program history. The Cougars did add former Florida kicker Evan Noel this offseason, but Noel did not appear in a game during his lone season with the Gators, leaving Sanchez as the more proven option.
Sanchez earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors in 2025 after making 21 field goals, the second-most in a single season in school history. He was a Lou Groza Award semifinalist and delivered three game-winning field goals in the final three minutes of regulation or overtime.
JaCorey Thomas, S — Georgia
Thomas went undrafted and participated in rookie minicamp with the Carolina Panthers, but remains eligible to return to Georgia if there is an open spot. He played in all 14 games and made eight starts at safety last season for the Bulldogs. Thomas registered 45 total tackles and a sack.
Georgia could theoretically bring Thomas back as a depth piece at safety after adding transfers Ja'Marley Riddle (East Carolina) and Khalil Barnes (Clemson). Both were among the top safeties in the portal this cycle.
