QB Brendan Sorsby eyes supplemental draft after withdrawing appeal: Three team fits

Brendan Sorsby is back in the headlines after withdrawing his appeal against an NCAA gambling ban, with the Texas Tech quarterback now intending to enter the NFL supplemental draft.

Earlier this year, Sorsby admitted to placing approximately $90,000 in bets and had his reinstatement to college football denied by the NCAA.

A judge briefly cleared the way for him to play in 2026, but with his legal team dropping the lawsuit, that window has closed. Sorsby now intends to pursue a career in the NFL, pending league approval of his application.

As one of the most talented quarterback prospects in this year's class, Sorsby will no doubt attract interest from several NFL franchises without a credible long-term answer at quarterback.

Here's how the supplemental draft works, and three teams that could target him.

How does the supplemental draft work?

The draft order is split into three groups based on the previous season: teams with six wins or fewer, non-playoff teams above that threshold, and the 14 playoff teams.

A weighted lottery determines the order within each group, and the worst records carry the most weight.

Instead of picking in sequence, teams submit a bid specifying which round they'd use to take the player, and if two teams submit a bid in the same round, whoever sits higher in the draft order wins the rights to that player.

It's been part of NFL rules since 1977, but it's rarely used in the modern era; Arizona's selection of Jalen Thompson in 2019 was the last time a player entered the NFL via this route.

The team that lands the player forfeits its pick in the equivalent round of next year's draft, and teams can't bid a round in which they don't hold a pick.

Why Sorsby is worth the risk

While his off-field situation is a mess, Sorsby's talent is beyond question.

In 2025, he threw for 2,800 yards, 27 touchdowns and five interceptions, showcasing real arm talent and timing while ranking in the 88th percentile among all college quarterbacks with a 155.1 passer rating.

He offers a true dual-threat skillset, too, with 1,305 career rushing yards and 22 touchdowns on the ground during his three years as a starter.

Improving steadily throughout his college career, Sorsby was considered a first-round talent in the 2027 NFL Draft by most draftniks before the recent drama hit the headlines.

His current predicament makes it less likely that a team would be willing to surrender a top pick in the supplemental draft, but at least one industry analyst thinks there's a chance.

Todd McShay said he would use a first-round pick on the embattled quarterback if the off-field boxes were ticked, calling him someone he thinks "has got a chance to be special."

Which teams make sense for Sorsby?

Ron Jenkins / Stringer

New York Jets

The Jets picked up veteran Geno Smith in a trade with the Raiders back in March 2026, and while he's clearly starting this year, he's not the long-term answer.

He's 35, led the league in passing interceptions last season, and has only a year remaining on his current deal.

New York went into the 2026 NFL Draft needing a developmental quarterback, and they found one in fourth-round Clemson product Cade Klubnik.

That pair present neither a solid foundation to build on nor an insurmountable challenge for a newcomer, and Sorsby could be the answer.

The Jets hold three first-round picks in 2027, which means a supplemental bid for Sorsby registers as less of a sacrifice for them than for other teams.

Cleveland Browns

ESPN Cleveland's Tony Grossi reported recently that the Browns are "among the teams putting in work on Sorsby," which, given Cleveland's history at the position, will probably surprise nobody.

Granted, they've already got Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and sixth-round rookie Taylen Green in a crowded room, but GM Andrew Berry tends to collect quarterbacks like they're going out of fashion.

And despite the Browns' insistence that Watson, Sanders, and even second-year man Dillon Gabriel are in the conversation for the starting job, there are question marks hanging over each.

There appear to be two trains of thought among the Browns' decision-makers.

Berry, who will make the ultimate decision on whether Cleveland pursues Sorsby, sounded a little more open to the idea.

"No different than we do every year," he said of how he'll approach the situation. "We'll do the work on all the prospects, and then we'll make the appropriate decision for the organisation."

Cleveland has eight picks in the first five rounds of 2027 to play with, so the cost of a bid is manageable.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Even with 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers returning in 2026, Pittsburgh need to find a younger gunslinger to take the franchise forward under the guidance of new head coach Mike McCarthy.

Drew Allar could be that guy after Pittsburgh spent a third-round pick on him in the 2026 NFL Draft, and Mason Rudolph or Will Howard are also in the conversation.

But neither has Sorsby's upside, and with McCarthy's reputation as a quarterback whisperer, pairing him with Sorsby makes sense.