Brendan Sorsby is moving on. The Texas Tech quarterback announced Monday he will enter the NFL supplemental draft, sidestepping a legal battle that had consumed his offseason and drawn the ire of his own conference.
The decision appears to end months of escalating tension between Texas Tech, the Big 12, and the NCAA over Sorsby's eligibility. The quarterback faced a sports betting violation that stripped his college playing status, but a Texas judge had recently granted him a temporary injunction to challenge the NCAA's ruling.
Sorsby admitted through his legal team that he placed at least 40 bets on Indiana football while a member of the program in 2022 and 2023. Over a four-year span, he wagered roughly $90,000 on college and professional sports combined. He entered an addiction treatment program on April 27.
Texas Tech backed Sorsby aggressively throughout the controversy, supporting his fight to restore eligibility and preparing to have him play after serving a two-game suspension. That loyalty came at a cost. The Big 12 Conference, angered by the university's stance, filed a complaint Monday against both Texas Tech and the Texas attorney general, seeking clarity on the conference's authority to enforce its own eligibility rules.
Separately, the NCAA filed a formal appeal in Lubbock County District Court and requested expedited resolution before the 2026 college football season. Sorsby's trial had been scheduled for February 2027.
Opposition to Sorsby's return ran deep within the Big 12. All 15 athletic directors excluding Texas Tech met last week and unanimously opposed allowing him to play for the Red Raiders. Conference presidents were scheduled to meet Monday to discuss potential sanctions against the university.
The supplemental draft, scheduled for late July, opens for players who miss the standard draft deadline or encounter eligibility complications. It has not been conducted since 2023. The timing leaves some uncertainty: it remains unclear what would happen to Sorsby if no NFL team selected him during the draft.
Sorsby's on-field credentials are solid. Over his final two seasons at Cincinnati before joining Texas Tech, he threw for 5,613 yards, 45 touchdowns and 12 interceptions across 24 games. He also added 1,027 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns.
Some NFL teams facing quarterback needs may show interest. The Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, and Cleveland Browns have all been mentioned as potential suitors, though Browns head coach Todd Monken indicated publicly this month that pursuing Sorsby would be "a slippery slope" given his betting history.
Author James Rodriguez: "Sorsby's leap to the NFL is the smart play for everyone involved, but the smell lingers on all sides of this one."
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