What to know as Cardinals, college QB star mull NFL supplemental draft
· Yahoo Sports
When the Arizona Cardinals missed out on Ty Simpson in last month’s NFL draft, it appeared that their chances of acquiring a franchise quarterback this offseason had come and gone. They would enter the season, surely, with Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew and Carson Beck as their top three quarterbacks. After all, both free agency and the draft were in the rearview mirror.
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Not so fast.
Now, there may yet be one final avenue through which the Cardinals could find a quarterback. Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has been ruled permanently ineligible by the NCAA due to gambling violations that include bets on his own team during the 2022 season. As such, he could choose to enter the supplemental draft, which takes place in July, ahead of training camp.
Here’s what you need to know about the unusual situation.
Who is Brendan Sorsby?
Sorsby spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons at Indiana before transferring to Cincinnati, where he emerged as one of the better quarterbacks in college football. Last season, he completed 61.6% of his passes for 2,800 yards, 27 touchdowns and five interceptions. On the ground, he added 100 carries for 580 yards and nine touchdowns.
Those performances earned him a transfer to Texas Tech, where he was reportedly set to make somewhere in the ballpark of $5 million in NIL money this season.
Then, it all came crashing down. The NCAA opened an investigation into gambling infractions, and Sorsby entered an inpatient treatment program. Earlier this month, he was ruled permanently ineligible by the governing body, which then denied Texas Tech’s request to have his eligibility reinstated.
Texas Tech is currently appealing that ruling, with a June 1 hearing set. Any avenue now, though, seems like a long shot for Sorsby.
What is the supplemental draft?
If Sorsby’s appeals are denied, he could file for the NFL’s supplemental draft, with a filing deadline of June 22.
The supplemental draft typically takes place in mid-July, and offers a second opportunity for players who did not declare for the NFL draft in April. Typically, those are players who — like Sorsby — had their college football eligibility revoked during the spring.
The most recent player to be selected in the supplemental draft was safety Jalen Thompson, whom the Cardinals selected with a fifth-round pick in 2019. Previous notable selections include wide receiver Josh Gordon (second round, 2012), linebacker Ahmad Brooks (third round, 2006) and wide receiver Cris Carter (fourth round, 1987).
How does the supplemental draft work?
The supplemental draft works on a blind bidding process. That means that, in this case, teams would place a bid on Sorsby using a 2027 draft pick. So if a team bid a third-round pick and no other team beat that offer, they would then acquire Sorsby, at the cost of their 2027 third-rounder.
As a tiebreaker, the draft order is split into three groups:
- Teams with six or fewer wins in 2026
- The rest of the teams that missed the playoffs in 2026
- The 14 playoff teams
Among each group, a weighted lottery is conducted, with teams that won fewer games last season getting a boost.
The Cardinals are one of 10 teams that would be in the top tier, with preference on Sorsby. Other quarterback-needy teams in that group include the Jets and Browns. To ensure that they beat those teams out, the Cardinals would have to place a bid one round higher than their competitors.
But in a blind bidding process, there’s also a risk of overbidding.
What is Sorsby’s value?
Before his eligibility came into question, Sorsby was seen as part of the second tier of quarterback prospects in the 2027 class — behind Arch Manning and Dante Moore, but as part of a deep group of options behind them. With a strong season, he could have climbed into the first-round discussion. With a poor season, his value could have dropped into the middle rounds.
Now, there’s the element of his gambling addiction, as teams have to be confident that he won’t suffer a relapse that would earn him a suspension from the NFL — as has occurred with players such as Calvin Ridley and Jameson Williams in recent seasons.
Most observers believe that Sorsby could be drafted with a third- or fourth-round pick if he were to enter the supplemental draft. Pending his character evaluation, he could even rise to a second-round level, although that would be a steep price for teams expected to pick near the top of the draft, like the Cardinals.
Sorsby’s calling card is a strong arm that has earned comparisons to Patrick Mahomes and Caleb Williams, while he also possesses a solid level of mobility as a runner. His question marks focus on decision-making and accuracy inside the pocket — two areas in which teams were hoping for growth this season.
Now, he likely won’t have that opportunity.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Cardinals might target Brendan Sorsby in supplemental draft