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Ex-FSU star Thomas Castellanos plans to join transfer portal madness

· Yahoo Sports

College football has seen yet another twist in the eligibility chaos. Not only were there the Trinidad Chambliss and Brendan Sorsby court cases, but multiple other lawsuits have challenged the NCAA’s eligibility rules.

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Now, a highly sought-after quarterback from last year’s transfer portal has been impacted by a recent ruling. Former Florida State quarterback Thomas Castellanos is seeking a return to college football after a federal judge granted 2022 high school recruits an additional year of eligibility. Castellanos is pursuing legal action to gain access to the transfer portal after previously focusing on the NFL Draft.

MORE: ESPN’s college football preseason rankings showcase high expectations for Ohio State

Castellanos went undrafted during the 2026 NFL Draft process. He received rookie minicamp invitations from the Tennessee Titans and Miami Dolphins as a wide receiver. He now wants another opportunity to play college football, either at quarterback or another position.

Oct 11, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Thomas Castellanos (1) before the game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

College football transfer portal of madness

It feels like every scenario has gone completely out the window with these recent events. The NCAA has, in essence, been rendered powerless as courts continue to reshape eligibility rules, with the long-term situation still unresolved.

With players who already pursued professional opportunities now exploring returns to college football, what is next? Could more undrafted rookies seek another season if courts continue expanding eligibility? Can players move between the NFL and college game whenever the rules change?

MORE: Virginia football player Solomon Beebe arrested on disturbing animal cruelty charges

Those questions may sound ridiculous, but college football’s current legal landscape has made them legitimate.

May 8, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Caleb Douglas (7), wide receiver AJ Henning (88), wide receiver Donaven McCulley (43) and wide receiver Thomas Castellanos (80) work during rookie minicamp at Baptist Health Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

Castellanos’ situation could be yet another sign that eligibility rules are no longer determined solely by the NCAA. Instead, they may increasingly be decided in courtrooms, leaving players, coaches, and programs to adjust on the fly.

For now, Thomas Castellanos is in another group of players all getting a gift to return to college football. Castellanos rushed for over 500 yards while throwing 15 touchdowns and adding nine more on the ground. His best season came with Boston College where he threw 15 touchdowns, rushed for over 1,000 yards, and added 13 rushing scores.

Will this college football eligibility ever end?

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Texans begin life without 'best player on the field' in Jayden Higgins following season-ending injury

· Yahoo Sports

Even Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans knew Jayden Higgins was in for a special season.

Following Thursday's 22-20 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, Ryans officially confirmed that Higgins suffered a torn ACL in Tuesday's joint practice and would miss the rest of the season. A once-promising second-year player in the passing game now must begin to prepare for the 2027 season.

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And replacing him with just one player won't be easy.

"It hurt," Ryans said of losing Higgins. "Jayden is a guy I’ve highlighted every time I’ve gotten up & talked because of the work that he’s done in OTAs, throughout training camp; he’s one of our best players, if not arguably the best player on the field when he’s been out there. It’s a significant loss for us, we got a void to fill there. It won’t be easy to fill the void that Jayden is leaving behind.”

During red zone team drills, Higgins ran a route in the end zone and fell awkwardly. He lay there in pain while teammates came to check on him before the medical staff arrived. While the cart was pulled out, Higgins was able to walk off the field under his own power and head back to the locker room with the training staff.

It was a non-contact injury, so the results weren't expected to be good. Following an MRI, reports confirmed the worst. Higgins will now undergo surgery and begin the rehab process to hopefully return by the start of next training camp.

"It's tough, man," quarterback C.J. Stroud said. "He was doing great; it was the best I’ve seen him. He was making plays, doing things I hadn’t seen him do before, playing physical. My thoughts and prayers are always with him. I’ve been talking to him as much as I can. He’s definitely going to be missed.”

Higgins' departure is a massive blow to the Texans' passing game. After a promising rookie campaign, he seemed poised to have a breakout season opposite Pro Bowler Nico Collins for Stroud, especially on intermediate routes.

As the Texans' first selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, Higgins made strides. The Iowa State product had 525 receiving yards and six touchdowns while helping Houston secure 12 wins.

Houston now turns to the rest of the receiving department, including Xavier Hutchinson and Jaylin Noel. Hutchinson, a 2023 draft pick, is entering his fourth season with the team and is in a contract year, so he could be playing for a new deal with Houston or another franchise. 

Noel hasn't practiced much throughout training camp as he's been dealing with a broken finger and hamstring tightness. A third-round pick out of Iowa State, Noel has potential but was limited on offense last season, mostly finding success on special teams.

The big mystery is Tank Dell's status for the regular season. Dell, the Texans' third-round pick in 2023, also enters a contract season and is coming back from a serious knee injury in December 2024 that held him out all of 2025.

Right now, there's no timeline for when he could ramp up his rep count and actually begin practicing against contact. Even after that, Dell still would need time to ramp up before a live game.

The Texans have one more preseason game before Week 1 rolls around. By then, hopefully they'll have an answer on what to do with the second receiver position.

Of course, that's way easier said than done.

This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans begin life without 'best player on the field' in Jayden Higgins following season-ending injury

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Code-word was at the centre of miscommunication of missing bushwalker

· Sydney Morning Herald

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