With the latest court ruling in the ongoing drama surrounding players suing the NCAA for a fifth season of eligibility across all sports, U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney issued a preliminary injunction against the NCAA. The ruling granted a fifth year of eligibility to all Division I athletes from the high school class of 2022.
When the ruling came across everyone's dashboard, notification center, and social media feed, fans immediately started speculating which favorite players could return for another season with their collegiate program.
That included Texas Longhorn fans turning their attention to none other than defensive end Ethan Burke.
Burke already played four full seasons with the Horns, but with Sweeney's ruling, he would be eligible to return for a fifth year as a class of 2022 high school graduate. And, yes, it would be awesome to have him back on the roster in Austin.
However, it just isn't going to happen, and honestly, fans shouldn't be hoping for it.
Not only has Burke's representation told media outlets that the defensive end has zero plans to return to college football, but it also just doesn't make logical sense for Burke's career.
Ethan Burke should stay in the NFL even if he falls short of Baltimore's 53-man roster
While Burke wasn't selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, he was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent. Now, with the NFL preseason kicking off this week, he has the opportunity to clinch his place on the Ravens' 53-man roster.
Could EDGE rusher Ethan Burke return to #Texas 2026?
— CJ Vogel (@CJVogel_OTF) August 2, 2026
Yes.
However, OTF is told a return to school is not in the plans. Burke remains steadfast on making the Ravens 53-man roster for the 2026 season.
OTF: https://t.co/zlXxZDSm9T pic.twitter.com/D7YEVqAdpd
Even if he doesn't make the cut for the official roster, he could easily be signed as a practice squad player. No, that obviously isn't the dream for Burke right now, but it is a gig that pays $13,750 per week.
That means he would earn $247,500 for an 18-week regular season with the Ravens, even if he wasn't on the full-time roster. While at Texas, Burke was making nowhere near this amount of money, going without a big-time NIL deal throughout his collegiate career.
Not to mention that any experience at the next level, whether that be fall camps, practice squad reps, or making the actual team, is invaluable for a player.
Of course, Burke could shock everyone and return to the 40 Acres if he falls short of making Baltimore's 53-man roster, but as I said, it isn't something that Longhorn Nation should be hoping for.
While Burke most likely won't make a reunion with the burnt orange and white, one Texas football player is now primed for his official return with the Horns' roster: Cole Hutson, who was one of the collegiate players originally suing for an additional year of eligiblity.
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