Report: Tennessee's Aguilar denied extra year of eligibility, entering draft

Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar won't return to Knoxville next season after a local judge denied his request for an injunction Friday, which would've granted him an additional year of eligibility, a source told ESPN's Pete Thamel.

As a result, the 24-year-old is reportedly shifting his focus to professional football and will attend the NFL Scouting Combine next week.

Aguilar sued the NCAA in Knox County Chancery Court over its eligibility rules in regards to former junior college players. The standout passer spent seven years in college football but only played three seasons at NCAA-member schools.

Aguilar was initially granted a 15-day restraining order against NCAA rules, which was later extended until a decision on his injunction could be made.

The NCAA released a statement following Friday's ruling.

The California native re-enrolled at Tennessee this semester while continuing to rehab after undergoing surgery to remove a benign tumor from his arm in January. The Volunteers reserved a spot for Aguilar on their 2026 roster in case he became eligible to play.

Aguilar appeared in 13 games for Tennessee in 2025, guiding the team to an 8-5 record. He threw for 3,565 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while completing 63.7% of his passes. He also tallied four rushing scores.

Tennessee will now enter its fifth straight season with a new starting quarterback. Redshirt freshman George MacIntyre, true freshman Faizon Brandon, and Colorado transfer Ryan Staub are among the signal-callers who could win the job. The Volunteers will open spring practice March 16.