Photo: Trae Tomlinson/Instagram
Canadian defensive back Trae Tomlinson is in the process of filing a lawsuit to regain NCAA eligibility, he’s confirmed to 3DownNation. 247 Sports was first to report the news on Monday.
The five-foot-eight, 173-pound defender has been advised by his legal team that the lawsuit could be resolved within a day or two, though they’ve not promised him a firm timeline. They are expecting to officially file by the end of this week.
Tomlinson went unselected in the 2026 CFL Draft. He signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in May but was released at the conclusion of training camp.
“Being part of the Saskatchewan Roughriders was eye-opening,” Tomlinson told 3DownNation via telephone on Tuesday. “I want to get back there, so this is a chance for me to continue my development and hopefully get another shot.”
The NCAA recently changed its eligibility rules, which has led several recently-graduated student-athletes to take legal action against the organization.
Instead of allowing athletes to play four seasons over a five-year window, athletes are now permitted to play all five seasons in a five-year window. However, there was no exception made for outgoing seniors, some of whom — like Tomlinson — had only played four seasons over four years.
Tomlinson indicated that he’s currently engaged in informal conversations with multiple schools interested in him should he be granted another year of eligibility.
The native of Winnipeg, Man. recorded a 4.63-second forty-yard dash, 36-inch vertical jump, and 10-foot, two-inch broad jump at his pro day in March.
Tomlinson concluded his collegiate career at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he played 11 games primarily at slot cornerback. He recorded 26 total tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, and one pass deflection with the Ragin’ Cajuns.
He spent the previous three seasons at the University of Richmond, where he tallied 90 defensive tackles, three tackles for loss, one interception, 14 pass deflections, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery in 38 games.
