NFL declines to hold supplemental draft, leaving Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby out of 2026 entry
The league announced it will not conduct a supplemental draft this summer, preventing quarterback Brendan Sorsby from entering the NFL in 2026, citing concerns over his NCAA eligibility and gambling violations.
The National Football League said on June 23 it will not hold a supplemental draft this summer, effectively blocking Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby from entering the league for the 2026 season. Sorsby had applied for the supplemental draft after ending a legal dispute with the NCAA over his eligibility.
Larry Ferazani, general counsel of the NFL Management Council, wrote to Sorsby that the league has "sole discretion" to hold a supplemental draft and that none of the players had applied for the event this year. He said Sorsby's petition, filed three days before the deadline without supporting documentation, did not provide a basis for the league to alter its plans and raised “significant” integrity concerns.
"Your Petition … does not provide a basis for the League to alter those plans," Ferazani wrote.
Sorsby's agent, Jeffrey Kessler, contended that the NFL had indicated only a short application was required and that the league had not asked for further review. Kessler called the league’s action an unlawful violation of the collective bargaining agreement and said the player would involve the NFL Players Association.
"This is an unlawful act in violation of the (collective bargaining agreement). The player is going to bring this to the (NFL Players Association)," Kessler said.
Sorsby, who transferred from Cincinnati to Texas Tech, admitted to placing thousands of online bets, including on games involving Indiana, while a true freshman in 2022, and later completed a 35-day inpatient rehab program for gambling addiction. Ferazani noted that Sorsby’s application did not explain the timing of the NCAA’s eligibility decision or demonstrate accountability for the violations.
The league has not held a supplemental draft since 2023, and the last player selected in the event was safety Jalen Thompson in 2019. Sorsby, 22, was scheduled for a pro day on July 10, but the NFL’s decision leaves his professional prospects uncertain, with the league suggesting he target the 2027 annual draft.