Just weeks before the 2026 NFL draft, this Oklahoma Sooners linebacker is fighting for extra eligibility.
Every NCAA college eligibility case is different, and Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Owen Heinecke is hoping his will fall into the more positive category. He filed a lawsuit Monday against the NCAA to have a preliminary injunction granted for one more year of college eligibility.
But at the same time, the timing of Heinicke’s case is significant with the 2026 NFL draft just weeks away. His initial waiver request and appeal were denied earlier this year, but is hoping this injunction will be granted ahead of the draft on April 23. There is an emergency hearing scheduled for April 16 in Oklahoma’s Cleveland County Court.
Heinecke’s case centers on the fact that he played in three games with the Ohio State Buckeyes' lacrosse program in 2021. He joined the football team as a walk-on in 2022 and has played three seasons in four years with the Sooners. Athletes are typically put on a five-year clock once they participate in athletics, and there isn’t a redshirt rule that carries over from lacrosse to football.
There are extensions granted when adversity or hardship such as injuries come up, but this one is much more unique. It matters a lot for Heinecke after one breakout season in 2025 he was hoping to build off of with Oklahoma and then head to next year’s draft.
Here is the full story from Sooners Roundtable writer Tyler Jones on the linebacker’s legal pursuit and why the timing is so critical in Heinecke’s case.
Now, Heinecke has participated in the Senior Bowl, the NFL Scouting Combine, and Oklahoma’s local pro day, but is expected to go in the late rounds. Another year in college could shoot him up draft boards.