Amid the controversy and uncertainty surrounding quarterback Brendan Sorsby’s NCAA future, he has opted to apply for the NFL supplemental draft. Sorsby admitted to placing at least $90,000 in bets in four years, including wagers on the Indiana Hoosiers as a member of the squad. The QB committed to play at Texas Tech in 2026, but the NCAA denied his reinstatement request in May. A Texas judge granted Sorsby a temporary injunction in June, and the Big 12 responded with a lawsuit against Texas Tech.
With all of that, Sorsby will now try his luck in the NFL. Despite the baggage, there are a few teams that may take a flyer on the quarterback who was considered a late first-round talent by some. Here are four NFL organizations that may add Sorsby in the supplemental draft.
The New York Jets QB room consists of an aging Geno Smith (who had a down year), Cade Klubnik, Brady Cook, and Bailey Zappe. It has been over a decade since the Jets had a winning season, and without a quarterback to truly be excited about, adding Sorsby could be worth it. There is talent on offense, including Breece Hall, who had his first 1,000 rushing season, the returning Garrett Wilson, and first-round selections, tight end Kenyon Sadiq, and WR Omar Cooper.
There is still a huge question mark, however, regarding whether or not the right man is under center. With that in mind, New York may take a shot at Sorsby to capitalize on the young talent on this roster.
Outside of maybe two years of Baker Mayfield, the Cleveland Browns have been searching for a franchise QB since returning in 1999. The Browns have only had four winning seasons over those 27 years, and are about as desperate as an organization can be for a quarterback. The team thought they had the answer after acquiring Deshaun Watson in 2022, but that move has been nothing short of a disaster. Neither Shedeur Sanders nor Dillon Gabriel has shown enough at this point, and rookie Taylen Green is considered a long-term project.
Cleveland is no stranger to the supplemental draft, as the team added Bernie Kosar in 1985 and Josh Gordon in 2012 with that process. Kosar, who the Browns released in 1993, is the last QB to start more than four seasons for the franchise. Perhaps the Browns can find the answer under center again in the supplemental draft with Sorsby.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been the epitome of high floor, low ceiling in recent years. The Steelers’ season has been the same three years in a row: 10-7 with a loss in the wildcard round. They have been stuck in mediocrity and, therefore, have not been in a position to draft a potential franchise QB. When the team decided to move on from head coach Mike Tomlin, it felt like an opportunity to reset. Instead, Pittsburgh brought back quarterback Aaron Rodgers and hired a coach who has underachieved in recent memory, Mike McCarthy.
Rodgers stated that this will be his final season in the NFL, so Pittsburgh will likely look for another QB outside of the organization in 2027 anyway. That is, unless either second-year quarterback Will Howard or rookie Drew Allar emerges out of nowhere. The other current option is Mason Rudolph, but he has been a career backup since entering the league in 2018.
With McCarthy in charge, this feels like another 8-10 win season with a first-round exit waiting to happen. Taking a run at Sorsby might be the only chance for the Steelers to acquire a potential franchise QB in the near future.
Jalen Hurts has appeared in two Super Bowls, won one of them, and was the Super Bowl MVP. That, however, may not be enough to stop the Philadelphia Eagles from taking a look at another potential signal caller in Sorsby. Despite the overall success as a team, Hurts has not improved much as a passer over the last couple of seasons (A.J. Brown will be the first to tell you). Philadelphia has a potential out on Hurts in 2028, and if the organization feels that he has peaked, they could have their QB in waiting in Sorsby.
Eagles GM Howie Roseman has shown in the past that he is willing to grab another quarterback even if he seemingly has one. That was the case when Philadelphia drafted Hurts in 2020, despite having Carson Wentz, who had finished third in MVP voting a few years before. The same can be said regarding the head coach, as the Eagles won a Super Bowl with Doug Pederson in 2017, before parting ways three years later. This organization is not afraid to pivot, and change could be on the horizon once again soon.
What’s your take? Post it in our free sports community at stadiumrant.app, or download Stadium Rant on the App Store.
Since the supplemental draft does not occur every year, some may not be fully aware of how it works. This process allows teams to bid one of their draft picks for the following season to acquire a player who became eligible after the traditional draft. The team with the highest bid gains that player and forfeits that pick in the following draft. If multiple teams place a bid for the same round, the player goes to the team with the highest priority.
There are numerous variables to consider regarding a potential bid on Sorsby. While he was considered an early round talent, some may opt to stay clear due to the baggage. Organizations do not want controversy surrounding their squad, especially around the potential face of the franchise. Sorsby has completed his 35-day rehabilitation program for gambling addiction and anxiety disorder, but no one knows if these issues are fully behind him. NFL teams have given players numerous second chances, however, and with his skills, Sorsby will likely be next.
If you love sports, download Stadium Rant from the Apple App Store and join one of the fastest-growing social sports communities. Be sure to follow us on socials too — you can find all our profiles on our Linktree.
