There has been no bigger storyline in football this offseason than the Brendan Sorsby Texas Tech saga. Transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby was found to have bet on games while a member of the Indiana Hoosiers. The NCAA initially labeled him as ineligible to play this season for Texas Tech. An injunction from a Texas State judge would have allowed him to play this season with only a two-game suspension despite the controversy swirling around him. Outside of Texas Tech fans, the entire situation has been widely panned as a slippery slope that can lead to bigger issues in the NCAA down the line in similar cases.
Now, in a shocking turn of events, Brendan Sorbsy has entered the NFL supplemental draft, forgoing his final season of eligibility at Texas Tech to declare early. The Miami Dolphins need a spark at quarterback, so the question now is: will they be the team to take a chance on the controversial prospect, or should they sit this one out?
Should the Miami Dolphins Gamble on Brendan Sorsby?
What Is the NFL Supplemental Draft?
Even to fans of the NFL, the NFL supplemental draft may be a new event for them. It occurs over the summer, and the eligible draft pool consists of players who are ineligible for the standard NFL draft, with the primary reason being suspensions from the NCAA due to rules violations. It is incredibly rare to see a player selected at all, as the last player to have been selected in the supplemental draft was Jalen Thompson from Washington State by the Arizona Cardinals back in 2019. So, suffice it to say that this process is quite rare.
Some notable players that were selected in the NFL supplemental draft over the years are Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter (still the only player in the Hall of Fame from the supplemental draft), Cleveland Browns legend Bernie Kosar, and, more recently, Terrell Pryor and Josh Gordon. All told, the supplemental draft has produced a total of eight Pro Bowlers in its entire 49-year history, so could Brendan Sorsby be number nine?
Sorsby’s Ceiling and Scandal
Without the dark cloud looming over him, Brendan Sorsby was considered to be a relatively highly touted quarterback entering the 2026 season. Sorsby was productive with the Cincinnati Bearcats in 2024 and 2025, posting back-to-back seasons of 2800 passing yards, with last year’s season also including 27 passing touchdowns to just 5 interceptions. He ended the season in the top 20 of passer rating, adjusted yards per attempt, and passing touchdowns. Optimism was running high when he transferred to Lubbock. Ranked by 247 Sports as a 5-star transfer recruit, Sorsby’s 6’3″, 230 lb frame is prototypical for the modern NFL, and his athleticism is solid too, ending last season with 580 rushing yards on 100 carries.
Then came the scandal. The long and short of it is that Brendan Sorsby checked himself into rehab for a gambling addiction on April 27, alerting the public to the situation, which was seemingly done to get ahead of the already ongoing NCAA investigation. All told, Sorsby bet $90,000 over the past 4 years, including betting on Indiana when he was a member of the team. Sorsby then filed for an injunction to regain his eligibility, which he eventually won on June 8th. This sparked backlash from teams and fans alike, with much of the Big 10 conference stating that they would not play Texas Tech for the foreseeable future if they continue to allow Sorsby on their team.
It became a massive media circus, and it seemed like Brendan Sorsby opted to prevent more outcry by declaring for the supplemental draft instead of staying with the team. So, in a surprise move given the effort he went through to regain eligibility, Sorsby left Lubbock in hopes of being selected in the supplemental draft. With there being plenty of teams towards the bottom of the league in need of a franchise quarterback, the Miami Dolphins included, Sorsby is expected to get selected by some team in the supplemental draft. Should that team be the Dolphins?
Brendan Sorsby to South Beach?
On the surface, Miami doesn’t have anything to lose in drafting Brendan Sorsby in the supplemental draft if given the chance. A potential franchise starting quarterback could fall into their laps should the supplemental draft lottery fall their way. His selection could give Miami a top prospect at quarterback without the concern of drafting a bust like in the standard draft. It’s relatively low risk in that regard, and with Sorbsy’s prototype potential, it would yield a nice reward.
However, the downsides are definitely concerning. The most obvious problem is the media frenzy that will come with drafting a player with such a high-profile case regarding something that the NFL has already taken a firm stance on before. Calvin Ridley is probably the most well-known example of these suspensions, and in accordance with that ruling, the standard punishment precedent is a full-season suspension. While it’s unlikely that the NFL would suspend Sorsby since he didn’t bet while a member of the NFL, the NFL has shown where they stand regarding sports betting. His lapsing will certainly be a major concern for every NFL team.
Along with that, Sorsby’s talent is also not overwhelming enough to simply disregard the controversy. Sorsby is talented, yes, and there’s a reason why he was expected to be a top quarterback in college this year before this offseason, but he is still relatively unproven. Cincinnati struggled down the stretch last season, losing 4 straight games to end their season, and in each of the team’s 5 total losses, Sorsby and the offense struggled for the most part. Sorsby would have really appreciated an extra season at a more talented program to really show off his ability, but right now, he still needs a lot of polish to be a starting NFL quarterback.
The final issue for the Miami Dolphins is that they just paid former Green Bay Packers backup Malik Willis to be their starting quarterback. The contract is for 3 years, and Miami has an opt-out after year 2, but it seems a bit backwards to immediately bring in a potential replacement before Willis even takes a snap for the team. The expected timeline seems to be Willis starting this season on a “prove it” deal, and the Dolphins will then decide whether to keep him as the future quarterback (he’s still 26) or draft a quarterback in 2027 or 2028 to develop. Bringing in Sorsby will change up this plan and shake Willis’s confidence heading into his first season in the teal and orange.
Overall, while there are good reasons why Miami has been thought of as a potential suitor for Brendan Sorsby, the current climate of the team really suggests simply waiting this out and taking a quarterback later down the line. With a brand new organization building up a roster, it’d probably be best to avoid Sorsby as the team tries to find cohesion around Willis for the near future.
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