How Will the NFL Handle Brendan Sorsby's Gambling History?
Right now, it looks as if the 2027 class of draft-eligible quarterbacks will be an all-timer. With Texas' Arch Manning up top, and the likes of Oregon's Dante Moore, Ohio State's Julian Sayin, Ole Miss' Trinidad Chambliss, South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers, Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemaker, and Notre Dame's C.J. Carr as part of the group, the NFL should have more options at the game's most important position than was the case in 2026 - when Indiana's Fernando Mendoza was the only first-round pick, and there was not much else in the hopper.
The wild card right now is Texas Tech's Brendan Sorsby, the former Cincinnati star who entered the transfer portal, and then was waylaid by his history of gambling. On Tuesday, the NCAA moved to make Sorsby permanently ineligible regarding college football due to his gambling history - specifically, bets he allegedly made on Indiana football when he was a member of the Hoosiers' program in 2022.
Both Texas Tech and Sorsby will appeal the decision, but if the decision sticks, Sorsby has until June 22 to make himself eligible for the NFL supplemental draft. Sorsby has completed a treatment program designed to help him handle his issues.
Sorsby has also released a statement.
Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby has released a statement on completing his residential treatment program for his gambling addiction.
— Justin Williams (@Williams_Justin) May 26, 2026
"If I'm blessed and fortunate enough to have the opportunity to continue my college career at Texas Tech, I know I will get the support I need." pic.twitter.com/XOTbp1Oma6
Recently, I spoke with Robert Griffin III about Sorsby's football future, and he's spoken with some NFL people who aren't exactly sure how they'll handle it if Sorsby does enter the supplemental draft.
"It's very rare that we see quarterbacks go through the supplemental draft and, either get drafted higher, or be put in a position where they can truly compete at the highest level to be a starter in the NFL," Griffin said. "But I had an opportunity to call a Brendan Sorsby game last year. Two of them. And he has this sweet, fade away, box fade throw that he loves. And it's very Aaron Rodgers-esque. It's beautiful. It's like poetry in motion. I can't say enough about it.
"But the bottom line with Sorsby, when it comes to his play on the field, I want to see him play more winning football. And that's why I was excited to see him go to Texas Tech, because at Cincinnati, there was a point last year where he was leading the Big 12 in touchdown passes, but you wouldn't have known it based off of how the ebb and flow of their team was, especially late in the year.
"He has all the arm talent that you need. He's got the size, um, he can make every single throw, and he's got the moxie. He was banged up late in the year with an ankle injury, but I wanted to see him go play winning football at Tech."
But as Griffin said, it's the off-field stuff that will have NFL teams thinking twice.
"They take into account all these things on the field and off the field, because when you're a quarterback in the NFL, you're not just there to throw the football. You're there to lead an organization. Whether you're the starter, you're the backup, you're the third guy, they have to trust you with the organization in your hands. And you have to prove that you're worthy of being trusted.
Sorsby's talent has "first round" written all over it, but the other complications will get in the way until and unless.
Brendan Sorsby's ability to work through progressions is accentuated by his knack for looking defenders off, and occasionally throwing a no-look throw at his opponents. Definite developmental upside here. pic.twitter.com/ji6NmgFhi4
— Doug Farrar (@NFL_DougFarrar) May 19, 2026
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This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 7:21 PM.