The NFL notified Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby that it will not hold a supplemental draft this year, effectively blocking his attempt to bypass an NCAA punishment by turning professional, according to a league letter obtained by ESPN.
In the letter, Larry Ferazani, general counsel for the NFL Management Council, cited Commissioner Roger Goodell’s view that participation in the league is a privilege that carries responsibilities, including accountability, according to ESPN. The league told Sorsby he will not be eligible to enter the NFL until the 2027 draft.
This spring the NCAA permanently revoked Sorsby’s collegiate eligibility after he admitted to placing about 9,000 bets over four years while at Indiana, Cincinnati and, since January, Texas Tech, including at least 40 wagers on Indiana games while a member of that program, according to ESPN. The NCAA’s ruling followed its written statutes and precedents on sports wagering.
Those sanctions were temporarily undercut when a Lubbock County judge, Ken Curry, granted Sorsby a temporary injunction against the NCAA. Sorsby argued the banishment would harm his mental health and that his gambling addiction should affect punishment, and the injunction could have allowed him to play during the 2026 college season, according to ESPN. The decision prompted a backlash that included letters from state attorneys general, a Big 12 request for a federal declaratory judgment and threats of scheduling restrictions for Texas Tech teams.
After Texas Tech withdrew its previous position, Sorsby petitioned the NFL to hold a supplemental draft. The league, citing its collective bargaining agreement, said it retains sole discretion to determine whether to conduct a supplemental draft and that Sorsby’s petition—filed three business days before the deadline without supporting documentation—did not provide a basis to change those plans, according to ESPN. Sorsby’s attorney, Jeffrey Kessler, told ESPN the NFL’s decision violates the CBA and the law and that the matter will be pursued with the NFLPA.
