Why Brendan Sorsby Might Actually Be the Ideal Bryce Young Backup

The biggest story across all sports at present. Brendan Sorsby's college football career is officially over, as he and Texas Tech mutually agreed to part ways. Sorsby, of course, was revealed to have placed sports bets throughout his college career, even on his own team while at Indiana. Over 9,000 bets were placed, with a total of roughly $90,000 wagered.

This was clearly the right call. Sorsby's local court injunction, overriding the NCAA, caused a real stir that not only affected Brendan Sorsby, but also could have affected Texas Tech's short-term future.

Now that the Brendan Sorsby saga is over in college football, it's time to look towards the NFL. Every team in the league has a chance to run Sorsby's tape and decide what they'd be willing to give up in a supplemental draft. The Carolina Panthers aren't currently a team that's searching for their franchise QB, but are thin in that room outside of starting QB Bryce Young.

NFL Analyst Touts Panthers as a Great Brendan Sorsby Fit

Bryce Young and Dave Canales at Panthers Minicam — Jun 9, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales with his quarterbacks Bryce Young and Will Grier during the first day of mini camp at Bank of America Stadium practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

ESPN's Ben Solak released an article diving into Brendan Sorsby's best traits as a quarterback, and what teams he'd likely fit with the best. The second team listed was the Carolina Panthers. Solak correctly notes that the Panthers' QB room is thin, with Kenny Pickett as the current backup.

The other two QBs on the roster are Will Grier and Haynes King. One of those QBs isn't even planning to be a full-time QB, as reports have surfaced that Haynes King is open to a "Taysom Hill" type of role.

Comparing them to Brendan Sorsby, it's no competition. Sorsby is a tall, athletic QB, who has a big arm, and can make every throw in the book. Solak pointed out that Sorsby would thrive in Dave Canales' system. Canales' is known for play designs where the ball gets out quickly, and runs plenty of RPOS out of shotgun, which leans towards Sorsby's footwork and quickness getting the ball out.

Why Brendan Sorsby is a Perfect Backup Option

Brendan Sorsby at Texas Tech Spring Gam — Texas Tech's Brendan Sorsby goes through warmups before the spring football game, Friday, April 17, 2026, at Jones AT&T Stadium. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Brendan Sorsby brings a lot of physical traits to like, as said before, hes got a rocket of an arm. Sorsby's got some gunslinger mentality to him as a passer, which could work well with guys like Jalen Coker and Chris Brazzell II. Sorsby also relies on his first read a lot, which, for the most part, would be Tetairoa McMillan in this case, not a bad first option receiver to have.

This option gives Carolina a different look if Bryce Young goes down for any reason, and a backup with much more upside than what's in that room right now. The other side of this idea that wasnt brought up in Solak's article is what happens if Bryce Young regresses, doesnt earn his big contract extension.

The 2027 QB class is filled with talent, and it's a deep class as well. Brendan Sorsby was right at the top of that class, and now comes out a year earlier. If the Panthers really like him, then they could likely get him on a budget, compared to what they would have if he played out his season at Texas Tech.

Sorsby will likely warrant a second-round pick. It seems unlikely that many teams will even debate giving up their first; Carolina surely won't. If Bryce Young doesn't earn the full trust of Carolina this season, they could already have his replacement in the building already, rather than waiting till 2027.

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