NFL Shuts Down Supplemental Draft, Leaving Browns Without Brendan Sorsby Option

The NFL Supplemental Draft won’t be happening, according to several reports.

This means the Cleveland Browns won’t be able to pursue former Texas Tech transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who forwent his injunction to continue playing in the NCAA despite admitting to betting on college football during his freshman year at Indiana.

The Browns were rumored to have interest in Sorsby, who was projected as high as a first-round pick with a good year at Texas Tech. Instead, the 6-foot-3 quarterback received a letter from the NFL on Tuesday that the league won’t be hosting a supplemental draft this season. Instead, the league told Sorsby that they’d look forward to welcoming him into the 2027 NFL Draft.

In a vacuum, this is a way for the league to suspend Sorsby for a season. He admitted to betting on his own team during his freshman season at Indiana. Even though Sorsby completed a gambling treatment program, the NFL is putting their foot down.

“As Commissioner Goodell has emphasized, participation in the NFL is a privilege that carries with it significant responsibilities, including accountability,” the statement read. “By all accounts, you are a talented player with the potential for future success.”

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, based on timing, the NFL wasn’t able to investigate the gambling issues in time. And now, they hope to avoid a big distraction for teams ahead of the regular season.

There’s no other avenue for Sorsby to enter the NFL this offseason. Sorsby’s attorney is claiming this is a violation of the CBA and the law. They plan on taking up the issue with the NFLPA.

Todd Monken was right about Sorsby

At the beginning of the month, new Browns head coach Todd Monken explained why he wouldn’t pursue Sorsby.

"I don't think we're in a position to want to go down that road," Monken said on June 1 about Sorsby. "That's my opinion, that's not [general manager Andrew Berry's]. I like the quarterbacks that we have. I think that's a slippery slope when you go down that, irrespective of talent, right? In terms of the situation he's [put] himself in, we all know what that is. He put himself in that situation. And we've seen in other sports with players that have been banned for life from playing in professional sports.”

The Browns will go into training camp with Shedeur Sanders competing against Deshaun Watson.

They won’t have an avenue to explore Sorsby, or any other young rookie quarterback, until April’s 2027 NFL Draft.

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