Brendan Sorsby wanted to make it into the NFL this summer. The league just shut that door.

The NFL will not hold a supplemental draft, as reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter. Sorsby now has to wait until the 2027 NFL Draft. A letter went out to him and all 32 teams confirming the decision. Schefter broke it first on X on June 23.

"Just in: NFL is declining to hold a supplemental draft this summer, currently leaving the 2027 Draft as the only way for QB Brendan Sorsby to enter the NFL," Schefter posted.

The NFL sent Sorsby a letter making their stance clear from the jump. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network released it.

"As Commissioner [Roger] Goodell has emphasized, participation in the NFL is a privilege that carries with it significant responsibilities, including accountability," the letter read, per Bleacher Report. "By all accounts, you are a talented player with the potential for future success. We encourage you to focus on preparing for possible entry into the NFL through the 2027 NFL Annual Draft."

The league is not banning Sorsby permanently, but it is making him wait a full year.

The NFL said there was insufficient time to fully investigate his gambling activities before the summer window. Sorsby's lawyer, Jeffrey Kessler, pushed back immediately.

"[NFL's decision] is a violation of the collective bargaining agreement and we intend to pursue the player's rights with the NFLPA," he told Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger.

The NCAA had ruled him permanently ineligible after finding he placed more than 9,000 bets totaling at least $90,000 over four years. Around 40 of those bets were on Indiana Hoosiers football games while he was on the roster.

On June 8, a judge granted Sorsby a preliminary injunction allowing him to play for the 2026 season, but Sorsby had applied for the supplemental draft on June 15.

He may have put up strong numbers over the last two years, but he will have to wait for now.

Sorsby threw for over 5,600 yards across two seasons at Cincinnati

Despite everything that has happened off the field, the talent has never been in question. Sorsby threw for 5,613 yards and 45 touchdowns across two seasons at Cincinnati Bearcats while adding 1,027 rushing yards and 18 scores on the ground.

There was real interest from NFL teams before this decision came down. Some evaluators projected him as a late first- to early second-round pick in the supplemental draft, per Yahoo Sports, which reported that four executives believed he would be picked if the NFL allowed him in.

The 2027 Draft gives him time to prepare. Whether teams still view him the same way after a year on the sidelines is the question nobody can answer yet.

What do you think of the NFL's decision about the supplemental draft amid the Sorsby legal saga? Let us know in the comments.

Read more at Michigan Football Community.

Written by

Farheen Fathima

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar