Jets Left With Big Dilemma as Brandon Sorsby Goes Pro

A resolution has finally been made in the case of Brendan Sorsby's college career.

It's over. And NFL organizations like the New York Jets may end up reaping the benefits.

According to a report from ESPN's Pete Thamel on Monday night, Sorsby will no longer play for Texas Tech this season and instead apply for the NFL's supplemental draft in late July. The Red Raiders quarterback had until next week to apply to the supplemental draft after a district court judge overruled the NCAA's decision to ban the redshirt senior for admitting to gambling on professional and college sporting events.

While Sorsby could have moved forward with the Red Raiders, the Big 12 commissioners openly sought ways to step in on the NCAA's behalf to ensure the quarterback would not play a down or that Texas Tech's program would be punished.

That left Sorsby at odds with the program, and thus he's decided to look ahead to the NFL, where a team like the Jets will now have a decision to make.

Jets' QB plans beyond 2026

New York knows what they want out of the 2026 quarterback room this season. Geno Smith is entrenched as the starter, and the organization seems confident in allowing a competition between fourth-round rookie Cade Klubnik, veteran Bailey Zappe, and former undrafted free agent Brady Cook for the backup role.

What happens after 2026, though, remains a question mark. The Jets are armed with three first-round picks in the 2027 draft, and have over $91 million in cap space to work with. They could opt to acquire a top quarterback in a trade or draft one from a deep pool of signal-callers in the selection process.

Sorsby's decision, though, adds a new wrinkle to those plans.

Should New York try to draft Sorsby next month, they would have to give up a pick in the upcoming draft. So if they were to use a first-round pick, they would lose their own first in 2027. A third-round pick in the supplemental draft would cost the team a 2027 pick in the future, and so on.

According to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, Sorsby will have a week in early June to host a pro day and also work out privately for teams to show NFL scouts what he can do. If the Jets are one of the teams interested, it might end up altering their plans entirely moving forward.

Before the NCAA's ruling, Sorsby was considered a first-round talent going into 2027. Had he come out of the 2026 draft, there would have been an excellent chance of him hearing his name called early as well.

First-round talents are hard to come by for any team. Should the Jets use the supplemental process, it would skip some of the painstaking effort the 2027 scouting process could bring and allow them to groom their future "savior" of the franchise.

New York could also choose to ignore Sorsby and wait until next April to find their next franchise guy.

Decisions, decisions.

The Jets don't have to do anything at this time. Scouting Sorsby at a private workout and through his tape at Cincinnati will be part of their process in July. Should the team make a move for him, it shows their belief in the player's talent. If not, it shows the Jets will wait for a better pool of QB prospects to become available next year.

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