Last week, your timeline was likely littered with litigation chatter as athletes across the country remain committed to securing one final year of eligibility for themselves.
Notably, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals granted a stay on Friday that student‑athletes who graduated from high school in 2022 will no longer have any federal protections concerning their fifth year of eligibility.
This means athletes who haven’t yet attached their name to a state‑specific court case better do so quickly and
cross their fingers they can hitch their hopes to that wagon.
Over the weekend, Hans Poppe, the attorney who represented Mark Mitchell in Jefferson County (KY), reported on Twitter that Afari is using a different lawyer but has requested to be added to their injunction that previously included 13 plaintiffs.
On Monday, Jon Hale of the Lexington Herald‑Leader confirmed that Afari has been named in court documents requesting that he be added to the Jefferson County case. A hearing for the judge to make a decision has been set for August 31. Matt Jones of KSR says it will take place at 10:45 AM ET.
There’s no telling how the judge will rule on Afari, and you can only count on others being quick to follow behind him.
This tactical move came as little surprise to those who have been following along over the past week or so. Attaching his name to what was already a favorable ruling was the logical next step in getting Afari back on the football field in enough time for him to potentially make an early‑season impact.
Will Stein has done a terrific job bringing new talent into the fold, but there’s no denying the benefit of adding a proven SEC defensive force. Afari has appeared in an impressive 48 games, with 31 starts.
Because Afari only began practicing recently before being ruled ineligible again, even if he gets said eligibility back next week, don’t expect him to play much in the first month of the season as he works to acclimate to Jay Bateman’s new defensive scheme.
Still, just having him for a handful of snaps each game, especially Week 2 vs. Bama, could provide a much-needed spark to the linebacker room.
