Oklahoma LB Owen Heinecke suing NCAA for 2026 eligibility

Oklahoma linebacker Owen Heinecke filed a lawsuit against the NCAA on Monday seeking a preliminary injunction for an additional year of eligibility, according to court documents.

Heinecke has been preparing for the NFL draft since his waiver request and appeal were denied by the NCAA earlier this year. He is seeking an injunction ahead of the draft, which will begin April 23.

An emergency hearing for Heinecke’s suit has been scheduled for April 16 in Cleveland County Court in Oklahoma.

“OU fully supports Owen and his pursuit of a fair opportunity to continue playing the game he loves,” Oklahoma athletic director Roger Denny said in a statement. “We’ll stand firmly beside him as he works to do just that.”

In their 22-page petition obtained by ESPN, Heineke’s attorneys requested a preliminary injunction but also seek to permanently enjoin the NCAA from “taking any disciplinary, penal, or other action against Owen Heinecke or the University of Oklahoma as retaliation for, or related to, such injunctive relief.”

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At issue in Heinecke’s waiver request with the NCAA was whether the linebacker was denied a participation opportunity with Ohio State’s football program in 2021.

Heinecke’s attorneys claim Heinecke intended to be a two-sport athlete at Ohio State but was denied an opportunity to join the Buckeyes’ football program in the fall 2021 semester due to reasons beyond his control, citing COVID-19 related disruptions, his recovery from a hip injury suffered in high school and Ohio State deciding to not hold football walk-on tryouts until the spring of 2022.

According to the filing, the NCAA’s eligibility committee denied Heinecke’s appeal on Feb. 19 by arguing he chose to compete in men’s lacrosse and that Oklahoma was unable to demonstrate that decision was outside of his control or demonstrate otherwise extraordinary circumstances to warrant a waiver.

The NCAA determined Heinecke was out of eligibility because he competed in three games with Ohio State’s lacrosse program in 2021 prior to joining Oklahoma’s football program as a walk-on in 2022. Heinecke played three seasons over his four years with the Sooners.

Heinecke enjoyed a breakout season with the Sooners in 2025, recording 74 tackles and 12 tackles for loss and earning AP All-SEC second-team recognition. He participated in the Senior Bowl, the NFL scouting combine and Oklahoma’s pro day and is expected to be a late-round selection if he stays in the NFL draft.

“We’re not giving up,” Oklahoma general manager Jim Nagy told reporters earlier this month. “Owen is just a guy you want to fight for.”

Heinecke is the latest high-profile case of a college football player suing the NCAA to continue playing in 2026.

Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss was granted a preliminary injunction by a state court in Mississippi in February for a sixth year of college eligibility. The NCAA is appealing the injunction.

Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar’s request for a preliminary injunction was denied by a judge last month. Virginia quarterback Chandler Morris is suing the NCAA in his efforts to be granted a seventh year of eligibility.