Arkansas football's late-stage "5 for 5" recruiting additions, safeties Caleb Wooden and Sean Williams, are now both eligible to play this weekend against North Alabama.
According to Jackson Fuller of the Fort Smith Southwest Times Record, Wooden and Williams' motion for a preliminary injunction was extended to September 10th due to a scheduling conflict. The previous date was set for September 3rd.
A Washington County Circuit Court Judge granted the two players a temporary restraining order (TRO) on August 26th, the same day that they sued the NCAA. The attorneys for the NCAA agreed to extend the TRO, making them eligible for Saturday.
The 5-for-5 Eligibility Rule, Explained
The new 5-for-5 eligibility rule from the NCAA will grant all Division 1 athletes five years to complete five seasons. Both medical and traditional redshirts are now considered moot, as everyone will get five allotted seasons, regardless of their injury luck or place on the depth chart.
The new ruling will begin this season. Five years of eligibility will be granted within five years of the athlete's graduation or their 19th birthday, whichever comes first.
Caleb Wooden and Sean Williams' fates are still up in the air
While most are happy with the ruling, there was one crop of athletes who didn't come away pleased. Per the NCAA's new model, would-be seniors from the high school class of 2022 are not included, even though, for many, this would be their fifth year.
While a Colorado district court ruling on July 31 granted 2022 players another year of eligibility, the NCAA was quickly granted a stay, meaning 2022 players who used the last of their eligibility last season are ineligible unless they've filed their own individual lawsuits and been granted TROs against the NCAA.
Wooden and Williams fall under that umbrella.
Caleb Wooden spent the first three years of his collegiate career at Auburn before transferring to Arkansas for his senior season. Over the course of the 2025-26 season, he played in all 12 games and had a combined 59 tackles -- 39 solo, 20 assisted -- while lined up at safety.
Arkansas has signed Dartmouth defensive back transfer Sean Williams, @chris_hummer and I have learned.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) August 18, 2026
Three-time All-Ivy League selection with 11 career interceptions at Dartmouth. Had a rookie minicamp tryout with the Titans but now has another year of eligibility thanks to… pic.twitter.com/VUmTUI8vYy
Sean Williams recently transferred in from Dartmouth. The safety is a three-time All-Ivy League selection and had 11 interceptions for the Big Green, making him a major addition to a major addition to an overhauled Arkansas secondary.
A lot could still change -- a new ruling seems to be in the news every day -- but as of now, both Wooden and Williams are eligible to play. After September 10, we will find out if they are eligible to play at Utah and beyond.
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