In a world in which college athletes are being paid millions of dollars to play, it looks as though the NCAA is still harping on the small things like we are still living in the past.Should this come as a surprise? Probably not, given the organization is still trying to hold onto any power they have left within this current ecosystem of college athletics.Tennessee linebacker Arion Carter has been suspended two games by the NCAA for accepting a flight paid for by an NFL agent after he decided that he would try his hand at professional football after the 2025 season and signed with representation.Tick Tock: SEC and Big Ten receive revised Protect College Sports Act as Senate vote timeline loomsHow much was the plane ticket? A measly $427 that only came when Carter decided to enter the 2026 NFL Draft.
This violation, which is a Level III, is pretty far down the totem pole when it comes to NCAA standards on rules.But, because Carter had accepted this travel from a professional agent, compared to the hundreds of NIL or college agents that are roaming throughout college athletics, it doesn’t matter that Arion had repaid the $427 earlier this year.Yes, you read that right.In a world in which much more egregious rules will be broken on a random Tuesday, Carter is being punished for signing with an NFL agent and accepting an airline ticket.Linebacker Arion Carter of the Tennessee Volunteers speaks at SEC Football Media Day at Tampa Marriott Water Street on July 20, 2026, in Tampa, Fla.
(Getty Images)Don't get me wrong, I understand the NCAA has a rule that says if a player declares for the draft and signs with an agent, he cannot return to the collegiate ranks.But, these were uncharted waters, given Arion Carter was hurt very early in the process, and did the smart thing by returning to college.It wasn’t as if he waited until three weeks before the NFL Draft.In reality, there needs to be a process for players to return if something like this happens.
Carter wasn’t c...