You’ve heard of five-star freshmen. You’ve even heard of sixth-year seniors. But what if there’s an SEC wide receiver who’s older than Patrick Mahomes? Imagine lining up across from a college football player who’s closer to your uncle’s age than yours! That’s exactly what some DBs will be facing this fall. So who’s this SEC guy?
While most CFB players are still figuring out the campus, this guy already had a 10-year pro career and could probably teach a finance class on signing bonuses. Meet Arkansas’ WR Monte Harrison, though some might know him better from professional baseball. He’s a former top-50 MLB Draft pick who reintroduced himself to the football world last season by catching passes in Razorback red. He’s turning 30 on August 10. And as you already picked up, he’s only a sophomore in 2025!
It all started with an X post by ML Football on July 19 featuring Monte Harrison catching a pass. It had the caption – “THIS IS CRAZY. Arkansas sophomore wide receiver Monte Harrison is turning 30 YEARS OLD soon. Harrison had played pro baseball for the past 10 years and was one of the main pieces in the Christian Yelich to Milwaukee trade.” And just like that, the internet erupted. One person commented, “Bro’s gonna be the first player to have PLAYED and be IN EA Sports College football.” This dude’s lived two lives already. It’s NIL era meets Madden age.
Bro’s gonna be the first player to have PLAYED and be IN EA Sports College football
— Jake Baer (@jakebaer29) July 19, 2025
Before we jump into the more unhinged reactions, let’s unearth the history and understand why Monte Harrison is still in college. The 29-year-old once committed to Nebraska for football, but $1.8 million from the Milwaukee Brewers in 2014 will change a teenager’s plans fast. After a solid minor league run, his baseball clock ran out in the fall of 2023. And then the comeback story happened on turf instead of the diamond.
Monte Harrison officially enrolled at Arkansas in June 2024 and made his college football debut in a 70–0 rout over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Two catches for 29 yards. Not eye-popping but considering the dude hadn’t played football since high school, that’s still something. What makes him fascinating is that he’s not just a gimmick. He’s 6’3, 220-pounder with the kind of fast-twitch athleticism only a decade of pro sports can sharpen. And Arkansas needs him. With their top eight pass-catchers gone and a new OC in Bobby Petrino looking for firepower, the door’s wide open. Still, CFB fans are unrelenting.
Monte Harrison’s age invites a wave of fan-frenzy
College football is a young man’s game until it isn’t. Welcome to SEC After Dark: Grown Man Edition. “That man gets a cheaper rate on car insurance already, this ain’t right!” one person commented. NIL brands, you might want to take notes.
The jokes are endless and the takes are nuclear. “Dudes gonna need a week to recover,” another person cracked. Well, you stretch differently when your knees are pushing 30.
This isn’t your typical 18-year-old struggling through college football. “Gonna be more popular with NIL as it is,” another fan fired with the growing spotlight on a player’s name, image, and likeness. And right now, Monte Harrison is the bomb of a discussion.
But this is an NCAA side quest unlocked. As another added, “This is what you should be doing as a millionaire athlete, he’s out here completing side missions.” But behind the memes is a genuinely wild story of a dude chasing unfinished business.
And apparently, this isn’t even that rare. As another person wrote, “My bro did this drafted by mlb outta high school came back played against me , then got drafted to the NFL. He was four years older than me.” Turns out, Monte Harrison’s got company in the “grown man on campus” club.
Colorado State’s Jordan Noise is a 32-year-old kicker. East Carolina’s Luke Larson is even older. This isn’t just about age. This is about second chances, elite DNA, and rewriting the playbook.
The post College Football Fans Are Losing It Over This 29YO SEC Wide Receiver appeared first on EssentiallySports.