Jackson State football wide receiver Jaden Lockhart has been granted a temporary restraining order in his lawsuit against the NCAA.
He sued the NCAA on Aug. 7 in the Hinds County Chancery Court for a sixth year of eligibility, according to documents obtained by the Clarion Ledger. He was granted the TRO on Aug. 24.
Lockhart, who played his first season of college football in 2021, claims that he should have one more year of eligibility after receiving a medical redshirt in the 2023 season and a standard redshirt in 2024.
His TRO is valid for 10 days and allows him to compete in JSU's first game of the 2026 season against Tennessee State in Nashville on Aug. 29 (7:30 p.m. CT, ESPN+). He is the second JSU player, behind receiver Nate Rembert, to be granted a TRO or preliminary injunction this preseason.
Lockhart is the older brother of JSU's sophomore starting quarterback Jared Lockhart.
Jaden Lockhart's argument vs the NCAALockhart turned to the courts while waiting to hear back from the NCAA on an appeal of his eligibility waiver. The NCAA denied his initial waiver on April 4.
Lockhart played at Division II Catawba College from 2021-22 before transferring to DII Johnson C. Smith in 2023.
In his third game of the 2023 season, Lockhart sustained a shoulder injury that prevented him from practicing or playing the rest of the season. JCSU told Lockhart it would submit a medical hardship waiver on his behalf, but that process was delayed until April 2024.
Lockhart believed he needed the decision on his waiver in order to be able to enter the transfer portal. However, while his waiver was still pending, he entered the portal and enrolled at Arkansas where he attempted to be a walk-on but did not make the team.
Lockhart's medical hardship waiver was accepted on April 10, 2025, but due to the timing, he elected to stay at Arkansas to finish his degree.
Lockhart argues that because of the delay in filing and receiving approval of his medical hardship waiver, he was denied two opportunities to participate in college football.
In the waiver request JSU submitted on Lockhart's behalf, it is stated that Lockhart used a redshirt in 2024.
The NCAA's reasoning for denying Lockhart's waiver was because the NCAA deemed that Lockhart did have the opportunity to participate in both the 2024 and 2025 seasons due to being enrolled at a school with a football team.
In two seasons at Catawba, Lockhart played in 16 games, totaling 27 receptions for 410 yards. At JCSU, he had four receptions for 38 yards and a touchdown in three games.
Tia Reid covers Jackson State sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at treid@usatodayco.com and follow her on X @tiareid65.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson State football WR Jaden Lockhart granted TRO vs NCAA, is eligible for Game 1
Leave a Comment