Matt Rhule sounds alarm on NFL returnees, $45 million rosters and college football’s payroll problem

The debate over whether NFL returnees should be allowed back into college athletics isn’t going away anytime soon, especially with the amount of court proceedings taking place amid new conference guidelines.

Over the past few months, dozens of lawsuits have been filed across the country challenging the eligibility rules for athletes from the 2022 class.

What began as a fight over an additional year of eligibility has now turned into a full-blown battle involving conferences, schools, attorneys and state court judges.

GOVERNOR LANDRY BACKS LANE KIFFIN, LSU IN FIGHT WITH SEC: 'DON'T HATE THE PLAYER, HATE THE GAME' The fallout has led conferences across college athletics to enact new guidelines outlining potential punishments for schools that roster plaintiffs granted an injunction or temporary restraining order by a local judge.

In Louisiana and Texas alone over the past week, more than 50 athletes have been granted another year of eligibility.

Attorneys are now adding conferences, including the SEC, to their lawsuits because of the new guidelines meant to deter schools from taking these players.

One of the more interesting debates around this entire saga has centered around the competitive advantage these athletes would have on the field.

While some might wonder how much better a fourth string player participating in NFL camp would actually be with a return to college, Nebraska's Matt Rhule told OutKick's Dan Dakich that these athletes would have a considerate advantage over players who have been practicing on a college campus.

"Twice as good, twice as good," Rhule told Dakich.

"I mean, I think the hardest thing, you know, when you're coaching these guys is you're always telling them like, 'hey guys, do this, this is what it's like, or the next level'.

You know, half of it is like as a kid, you know they’re kids, right?...Like just the growth you make.

"They train for the combine.

They train in a pro facility, had an agent pay for their meals, trained with NFL teams, they had training camp...I think if an NFL player came back, it would be twice, if not three times better than they were." Whether or not you believe that is a entirely different topic of discussion, but I think most would take the word of the Nebraska head coach.

LSU’S LANE KIFFIN FIRES BACK AT NFL RETURNEE BACKLASH: BLAME THE NCAA, NOT US FOR RECRUITING PRO ATHLETES Though, maybe he's just saying this to create fear for judges across the country.