Brendan Sorsby has officially declared for the NFL Supplemental Draft, but what does that mean? This will dive into all the details of what every NFL fan will need to know in the coming months. What is the supplemental draft? How does it work? What does it mean for Sorsby?
The NFL Supplemental Draft is held on rare occasions when a player with his college eligibility removed is given the opportunity to jump into the NFL. Think of it as an alternate draft compared to the normal NFL draft held in April.
The Supplemental Draft is not just based on the order of the previous NFL draft; there’s a complex lottery system and bidding campaign held. Teams are separated into three groups. After each group is set, the order within each group is completely randomized in a lottery-style format.
That isn’t the end of the changes from the typical draft. The supplemental draft is held on a bidding-based system. Each team will have the option to bid one of their draft picks from the following year to select a player. There is no requirement to bid, but if they have the highest bid, they will lose the corresponding pick.
The NFL Supplemental Draft is not anything new; it’s just unprecedented to have such a highly touted player become eligible. Last held in 2023, there were multiple players available for bidding, but no NFL team took a chance.
Jalen Thompson was the last player actually selected in the Supplemental Draft. The Arizona Cardinals bid a fifth-round pick on the safety in 2019. The previous selections before that include WR Josh Gordon (2012, second-round pick) and QB Terrelle Pryor (2011, third-round pick).
A team has bid a first-round pick six times since 1985, but none since 1992.
Cris Carter is the only NFL Hall of Famer to be selected in the Supplemental Draft. In 1987, the Philadelphia Eagles bid a fourth-round pick for the WR.
Sorsby will become the next player selected in the NFL Supplemental Draft. A lengthy battle with the NCAA over a gambling scandal which saw Sorsby bet over $90,000 over his four-year collegiate career, has ended with him declaring for the supplemental draft.
There is a real chance for Sorsby to join those other six names of players selected with a first-round pick. There are teams desperate for QB help, most notably the Browns. Will they bail on their 2027 first-round pick to guarantee themselves a QB? They will be placed in the lowest group featuring teams with fewer than six wins last season.
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.
