🏈 Will Brendan Sorsby Play This Year? NFL Supplemental Draft Odds & Eligibility
The biggest story in college football revolves around Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby and his future in Lubbock, with the NCAA investigating him for placing more than 10,000 wagers on sports, dating back to his time at Indiana and through his two years as a starter at Cincinnati.
The question everyone is asking is, will Brendan Sorsby play this year? And if he does, will it be for the Red Raiders? Or will Sorsby declare for the NFL supplemental draft if his injunction against the NCAA isn't granted?
The prediction market apps have him listed with a 49% chance of declaring for the NFL supplemental draft, and it could all come down to when his eligibility hearing in Lubbock County district court takes place.
⏱️ Will Brendan Sorsby declare for the NFL supplemental draft?
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🔴 Will Brendan Sorsby play this year?
The supplemental draft escape hatch: Will Sorsby opt for the NFL?
With Sorsby suing the NCAA for his eligibility, it's tough to feel strongly about whether he will declare for the NFL supplemental draft. Obviously, if his injunction against the NCAA isn't granted, the senior will declare for the NFL supplemental draft ... the problem is timing.
The deadline for the NFL supplemental draft is June 22, giving Sorsby about a month to make a decision. But his decision will come down to the decision made by the Lubbock County district court. And there's a chance the hearing will come later than the June 22 deadline for the NFL supplemental draft.
That's why Sorsby's attorneys, Jeffrey Kessler and Scott Tompsett, are pushing for a June 15 hearing. However, on paper, this appears to be a pretty cut-and-dry case in which the NCAA has every right to suspend Sorsby indefinitely.
NCAA athletes are strictly prohibited from gambling on any sport, and not only was Sorsby reportedly placing an average of 20 bets per day, but he also bet on his own sport and his own team.
With the NCAA's zero-tolerance stance on gambling and the sheer volume at which Sorsby was betting on sports, it's hard to imagine a judge granting his injunction, even if that judge is Phillip Hays, a Texas Tech alum.
Prediction: 'Yes' Brendan Sorsby will declare for the NFL supplemental draft (49¢)
The NCAA gambling investigation and timeline
- 2022 (Indiana): Sorsby, then redshirting as a freshman (he played in just one game in 2022), begins placing bets on Indiana football games (his bets reportedly range from $5 to $50)
- 2023 (Indiana): Sorsby is named the starting QB for the Hoosiers and totals 19 touchdowns in seven starts before announcing his transfer to Cincinnati on Dec. 6, 2023
- 2022-24: Sorsby continues to place bets on sporting events, even once he transfers to Cincinnati for the 2024 season, reportedly being linked to accounts across multiple sportsbooks and betting on everything from Turkish basketball to the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, according to On3
- Aug. 2025 (Cincinnati): Sorsby is flagged by the Big 12's ProhiBet monitoring app for attempting to place a bet, with the conference alerting Cincinnati ahead of the season
- Dec. 2025: Sorsby enters the transfer portal following his second season as Cincinnati's starting QB after totaling 63 touchdowns in 24 starts, and is ranked as one of the five best transfers in the country
- Jan. 2026: Sorsby announces his commitment to Texas Tech, reportedly signing an NIL agreement worth between $4 and $6 million for his senior season
- April, 2026: The NCAA reportedly approaches Texas Tech with betting data showing that Sorsby has placed more than 10,000 bets since 2022, according to On3
- April 27, 2026: ESPN's Pete Thamel reports that Sorsby is under NCAA investigation for sports gambling and will seek treatment for a gambling addiction
- May 18, 2026: Sorsby files for an injunction, citing the NCAA's "deeply hypocritical" position on gambling, while Texas Tech issued a statement declaring Sorsby "ineligible for competition" after finalizing an agreed-upon stipulation of facts with the NCAA - Sorsby's legal team is pushing for a June 15 hearing, ahead of the NFL supplemental draft on June 22, according to Thamel
🔬 Brendan Sorsby NFL scouting report
Tape evaluation: Strengths and weaknesses
It's not hard to see the NFL talent that Sorsby possesses. He has a flashy arm that jumps off the tape when pushing the ball downfield, layering it over linebackers down the seam, or ripping it into tight windows over the middle. And his physical tools go beyond just his arm; he's capable of extending plays and making flashy throws off-platform while offering the athleticism to move the chains with his legs.
The physical tools are clearly there, and we know NFL teams love to buy in on traits. With that said, it's clear why Sorsby opted to return for his senior season rather than declare for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Sorsby's ball placement can be sporadic, especially when the pass rush speeds him up, and he can't escape the pocket and lean on his movement skills. This is when you'll see him force the ball into conflict or spray it and miss an open target.
His skittishness in the pocket can lead to inaccurate throws outside the numbers, his eyes peeking at the pass rush and missing open receivers, and trouble keeping plays on time.
Still, purely as a football player, he would have been my QB3 in the 2026 NFL Draft, behind just Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson, both of whom went top 15.
Draft stock: Why teams pass until Day 3
Sorsby isn't a blue-chip QB prospect that some have pushed him as during this scandal. He would not have gone in Round 1 in the QB-poor 2026 NFL Draft, which is why he returned to college football and transferred to Texas Tech to bolster his stock.
According to The Athletic's Dane Brugler, Sorsby had Day 2 grades from NFL scouts for the 2026 NFL Draft, a draft in which Carson Beck was the third QB off the board at No. 65. The problem is, if a team uses a draft pick on Sorsby in the NFL supplemental draft, it forfeits its pick in that round for the 2027 NFL Draft.
At this point, the 2027 NFL Draft looks far more talent-rich than 2026, especially at the QB position, with players like Arch Manning, Dante Moore, and LaNorris Sellers. So, at best, a team would likely use a third-round supplemental draft selection on Sorsby if he had no baggage at all.
Now, factor in the gambling scandal, and it's hard to imagine a team willing to forfeit anything better than a Day 3 draft pick on him. That's why I think it's more likely for him to go undrafted in the NFL supplemental draft than for a team to use a potential top-100 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft on him.
But it could be worthwhile for teams like the Cleveland Browns or New York Jets to take a swing with a Day 3 pick.
Prediction: Brendan Sorsby is selected in the sixth-round of the NFL supplemental draft
📜 NFL supplemental draft history: Recent picks
Over the last 20 years, 12 players have been selected in the NFL supplemental draft; however, it has not taken place since 2023, with no selections since 2019.
| Player (year) | Selecting team | Round (forfeiting pick in this round) | Career NFL games played |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Thompson, SAF (2019) | Arizona Cardinals | 5th | 99 |
| Sam Beal, CB (2018) | New York Giants | 3rd | 9 |
| Adonis Alexander, CB (2018) | Washington | 6th | 9 |
| Isaiah Battle, OT (2015) | St. Louis Rams | 5th | 0 |
| Josh Gordon, WR (2012) | Cleveland Browns | 2nd | 77 |
| Terrelle Pryor, QB (2011) | Oakland Raiders | 3rd | 51 |
| Harvey Unga, FB (2010) | Chicago Bears | 7th | 0 |
| Josh Brent, NT (2010) | Dallas Cowboys | 7th | 40 |
| Jeremy Jarmon, DE (2009) | Washington | 3rd | 16 |
| Paul Oliver, SAF (2007) | San Diego Chargers | 4th | 57 |
| Jared Gaither, OT (2007) | Baltimore Ravens | 5th | 52 |
| Ahmad Brooks, LB (2006) | Cincinnati Bengals | 3rd | 145 |
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