After all the twists and turns in the Brendan Sorsby saga, he is now planning to head where many originally projected he would land: the NFL’s supplemental draft.
Sorsby has formally submitted his application to the league to turn pro later this summer. There is little concern that the NFL would reject him – if they are even able to do so – though he may have to accept a suspension in a situation similar to Terrelle Pryor‘s in 2011. The NCAA hit Pryor with a five-game suspension for improperly signing autographs, and the NFL matched the punishment when Pryor declared for the supplemental draft.
The two-game suspension Sorsby would have served as part of his injunction ruling was issued by the judge, not the NCAA, which sought to keep him off the field entirely. The nature of his gambling infractions are also vastly different than Pryor’s situation. Those factors make it unclear how the NFL would approach a potential suspension.
Sorsby’s next steps are to prepare for the supplemental draft, which will be held in late July. He will train with his private quarterback coach, former Broncos offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello, ahead of a July 11 pro day in Dallas (via ESPN’s Pete Thamel). He will also workout for individual teams as requested, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
Assessments of Sorsby vary. Some see him as a first-round talent who may have been a top-15 pick in this year’s relatively weak quarterback class, according to Ralph Vacchiano and Eric Williams of FOX Sports, while others see him as a Day 2 or early Day 3 pick.
The supplemental draft offers an additional wrinkle. Sorsby is not expected to be taken in the first round due to the uncertainty of giving up a 2027 first-rounder, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via The Pat McAfee Show). Teams may prefer to preserve their chance of landing one of next year’s highly touted quarterback prospects like Texas’ Arch Manning or Oregon’s Dante Moore. Instead, Sorsby has a “really good shot to go in the second round,” according to Breer, which has long been his projected supplemental draft slot.
Browns head coach Todd Monken already threw cold water on the idea of bringing Sorsby to Cleveland, and that is expected to remain the team’s position, per Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot. The front office, which already began scouting the 6-foot-3, 235-pound quarterback in the event he declared for the standard 2026 draft, will still do its due diligence over the next month.
Homework on Sorsby’s off-field activities will be a major part of NFL teams’ scouting processes. The 22-year-old quarterback has not spoken publicly about his gambling issues, but he will not be able to avoid questions when meeting with team decision-makers.
After news of his supplemental draft decision hit Sorsby posted a (somewhat generic) statement on social media expressing his appreciation for the support he received over the past several months and his commitment to “being the best I can be both on and off the field.”
The college football world is also dealing with the fallout from this saga. Statements from athletic director Kirby Hocutt and president Lawrence Schovanec expressing their support for Sorsby. A statement from Texas Tech chairman Cody Campbell notes that the school will not seek return of any NIL money already paid out.
Campbell’s statement makes clear that Sorsby, not Texas Tech, filed the lawsuit and sought the injunction that restored his eligibility. He insists that Sorsby and Texas Tech “stand on very solid and legitimate legal ground,” but added that the supplemental draft is “the only viable and fair path for Brendan and his future, as well as for his teammates, and our university,” given the practical obstacles of resolving the various legal disputes in play.
Campbell’s statement also mentions the need for reform in college sports, which has become a familiar call across the NCAA landscape after the introduction of NIL and legalized sports gambling upended an already-fragile ecosystem. Campbell specifically advocates for the Protect College Sports Act of 2026 introduced by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Washington Sen. Marcia Caldwell earlier this year.
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