The 2026 NFL supplemental draft was supposed to be one of the most highly anticipated in league history, but in light of the gambling history that makes quarterback Brendan Sorsby such a polarizing prospect, the league called off this summer's event. The collective bargaining agreement gives the NFL the right to determine whether or not to hold a supplemental draft, and according to CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones and Matt Zenitz, the league declined Sorsby's application for the draft and decided for the third consecutive year not to stage the event.
There was no guarantee that Sorsby would have been selected even if the NFL held a supplemental draft. While his talent makes him one of the most tantalizing quarterbacks in his class, the Texas Tech signal-caller carries the kind of baggage that could have led teams to pass on him.
Sorsby checked into rehab for a sports gambling addiction this spring after transferring from Indiana to Texas Tech, and the more details that emerged -- including the reality that he bet on his own games while with the Hoosiers -- the more concerning the situation became for both the NCAA and NFL. The former declared him ineligible for his senior season, and even though he was granted an injunction that overrode that ruling, Sorsby elected to pursue a pro career.
The NFL sent a letter to Sorsby explaining its decision and cited what it determined were numerous issues with his application for inclusion in the supplemental draft.
"The issues presented by your Petition are too significant, and too closely tied to the League's core integrity interest, to permit meaningful review within the timeline presented," Larry Ferazani of the NFL management council wrote in the letter.
Text of the letter, sent by Larry Ferazani of the NFL Management Council, to Brendan Sorsby @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/v4y6UmvC1g
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) June 23, 2026
The league noted that Sorsby did not provide the complete record of the NCAA's investigation into his gambling habits and that he did not take accountability for his conduct. Because he "sought to avoid the consequences" of the NCAA's ineligibility ruling through an injunction hearing and did not express that he would adhere to the NFL's integrity policies, Sorsby will not have a path to the league this offseason.
Sorsby's attorney, Jeffrey Kessler, called the NFL's decision "a violation of the CBA and the law" and said in a statement to ESPN that "we will pursue this immediately with the NFLPA."
With a return to Texas Tech seemingly untenable due to the widespread outcry over his participation in college football, Sorsby is low on options for the 2026 season. He cannot sign with an NFL team as a free agent this year and thus would need to find an opportunity in another professional league if he is to play between now and 2027. He can, however, enter the 2027 NFL Draft.
Now that the prospect of the supplemental draft is off the table, safety Jalen Thompson in 2019 remains the most recent player to join the league through that avenue. Bernie Kosar, Cris Carter, Terrelle Pryor and Josh Gordon are among the biggest names to spark NFL careers by way of the supplemental draft.
