The Texas Longhorns made a notable addition to their fall camp roster earlier this month by bringing back offensive lineman Cole Hutson for one more year of college football. Hutson was granted another season after suing the NCAA and being given a TRO.

Despite missing all of spring came and summer workouts, this meant Hutson would be reuniting with the team that he had spent the previous four years with, doing so after participating in rookie minicamp with the Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Browns.

However, all hopes of that were suddenly challenged when the SEC released a new three-part policy that forbid any players from making the jump from professional sports back to college.

Is Cole Hutson Still Eligible to Play With Texas Next Season?

Based on the SEC's latest eligibility policy, Hutson remains eligible to play for Texas next season, and here's why.

There are some key areas of his unique situation that need to be clarified in order to gain of greater understanding of this entire mess.

Hutson appeared in rookie minicamp with the Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Browns but never officially signed a contract. It's an initiation to come try out essentially. No pen to paper.

He didn't join either team as undrafted free agent, something that does require a signature. This clears Hutson for the SEC's second rule of the new policy.

Another FAQ might be "But since Hutson went undrafted, doesn't that make him ineligible to play in the SEC based on the conference first rule of the new policy?"

Nope.

Since Hutson was a senior, he didn't have to declare for the NFL Draft, meaning he never had to withdraw. This clears him for Rule No. 1.

Nonetheless, it certainly remains a confusing situation all around.

Arch Manning Was Surprised by Cole Hutson's Return

When asked by Texas Longhorns on SI what his reaction was to seeing Hutson back on campus, Arch Manning admitted it surprised him but was he glad to see his teammate of three years return to the program.

"I was off social media, so I didn't know what was going on really. And I saw him early morning one day. I was like, 'What the hell?'" Manning said when asked by Texas Longhorns on SI. "I gave him a big hug. I'm glad to have him back. Anytime you have familiar faces, it's fun."

Hutson will now be a major piece of Texas' offensive line this upcoming season, even if that means he's the fifth or sixth-best player up front.

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