Brendan Sorsby is taking the unusual path. The Texas Tech quarterback announced earlier this month that he is leaving college and entering the NFL supplemental draft.
Sorsby has played quarterback at three different schools across his college career. He was at Indiana, where he had his best statistical seasons. Then he transferred to Texas Tech for what was supposed to be one more year of college tape before going pro. Then, in June, he changed his mind again. He wants to be drafted now.
This is a real risk. The NFL supplemental draft is a graveyard. Players who enter it almost never get picked in the early rounds. NFL teams typically wait until the regular draft to take quarterbacks, and the supplemental draft is reserved for guys with off-field issues, injury concerns, or unusual eligibility situations.
Sorsby’s case fits the third category. He believes he has gotten everything he can out of the college experience. He is reportedly tired of the transfer portal cycle. He wants to start his pro career, even if that means going in a later round and signing a smaller contract.
There is a real case for him as a pro prospect. He has good arm talent. He is mobile. He has shown he can run a power conference offense and put up production. His combine numbers, if he gets the chance to test, would be solid.
But there is also a clear ceiling concern. Sorsby is not Caleb Williams. He is not even Bo Nix. He is a developmental prospect who, in a normal draft cycle, would probably go in the fourth or fifth round. The supplemental draft is unlikely to produce a better result. Teams in this format use later-round picks, and most of them just want to grab a project arm without giving up real draft capital.
The Cleveland Browns are one team that has been reportedly scouting Sorsby. They have ongoing questions at quarterback with Deshaun Watson still recovering and Shedeur Sanders facing trade rumors. Adding a developmental prospect on a small contract makes sense for Cleveland.
The Las Vegas Raiders, who already drafted Fernando Mendoza, are another possible destination. They have a clear succession plan in place but have always valued depth at the position. Sorsby could compete for a backup job or sit on the practice squad while learning the playbook.
What Sorsby is really betting on is that one team falls in love with his physical tools. If that happens, he could end up with a guaranteed roster spot and a chance to develop. If it does not, he could fall completely out of the draft and end up as an undrafted free agent.
The strategy of leaving college early for the supplemental draft is rarely a slam dunk move. But for Sorsby, the math may have changed. Another year at Texas Tech was no guarantee of better tape. Coaching changes, injury risks, and roster turnover all weighed against returning. Going pro now, even at a discount, was apparently the better play.
The supplemental draft will likely be held in mid-July. The Browns are reportedly the most active team in the process so far. Whatever happens, Sorsby’s college career is over. The Texas Tech offense will move on without him.
It is a bold move. It might not work. But at least Sorsby is making the call on his own terms.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
