Sorsby Sorcery

By: Josh Frey-Sam

The NFL supplemental draft is an event that is largely overlooked on the league’s calendar, but every now and then, there’s a player who comes through and generates some buzz.

It’s the path that a few notable players — Cris Carter, Bernie Kosar and Josh Gordon, for example — have taken to get into the league.

This appears to be another one of those years, as Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby formally applied on Tuesday to be included in the supplemental draft.

Sorsby has been the top college football story throughout NFL OTAs this spring. He was the subject of a sports betting saga that saw him go to rehab for a gambling addiction.

The NCAA originally denied his request for reinstatement, but his application was later accepted, making him eligible for the 2026 college football season. A lawsuit from the Big 12 against Texas Tech — where Sorsby transferred to this off-season — followed, which led to Sorsby scrapping it all and opting to go to the NFL.

That leads us to the supplemental draft, which will take place just before training camp starts next month.

The question for fantasy owners — particularly dynasty managers — is: should we be pursuing Sorsby?

The short answer is yes. But there’s a couple of things at play here that could influence your decision.

First, what to know about this guy.

Sorsby’s talent is evident. At 6-3, 235 pounds, he has prototypical size and the arm talent to match. He’s also very athletic and a willing runner.

The last two seasons with the Cincinnati Bearcats, he logged 205 carries for 1,027 yards (5 yards per carry) and 18 rushing touchdowns. He also tossed for 5,613 yards, 45 touchdowns (to just 12 interceptions) while completing nearly 63 per cent of his passes during that stretch.

If you’re looking for a comp, to me, it’s Jaxson Dart.

Here is a scouting report, courtesy of Lance Zierlein, whom I respect tremendously and follow closely during draft season every year.

A lot of analysts have talked about where Sorsby would’ve gone in this year’s NFL Draft, and the consensus is that he would’ve undoubtedly been a first-round pick. Some have even said top-10, given Ty Simpson went 13th overall to the Rams.

So, we’re not talking about a Joe Schmo here. This is a guy who people view as having the upside of a franchise signal-caller.

Now, what could determine how hard you pursue Sorsby is two things: who drafts him, and how much they bid on him.

The supplemental draft is a blind auction among all 32 teams. They place their bid in the form of a draft pick, and the highest bid wins. Whichever team wins, they forfeit that draft pick next year. For example, if the Browns bid a second-rounder on Sorsby and win, they would not have a second-round pick in 2027.

So, teams must decide how hard they want to pursue this guy, as well. If a second-round pick ends up being what it takes, then you know that team thinks highly of him, and he could legitimately be their guy of the future.

A few landing spots that make sense: Cleveland, Arizona, Miami, the Jets, Pittsburgh, Carolina, Tampa Bay and maybe even Philadelphia.

To be clear, I don’t see Sorsby coming in and overthrowing any presumptive starter right out of the gates. This is a taxi squad stash with terrific upside. That affects his value, especially since we don’t know where he’ll land.

Keep in mind, there’s an outside shot that Sorsby ends up being suspended for a few games to start his career. The NFL’s gambling policy is strict, and it may punish him immediately.

The last thing that you need to figure out is how your league will be handling this situation.

Will Sorsby be free game as soon as he’s drafted? Will he be made untouchable until next year’s draft?

Both could work, but you should make sure everyone is clear on that.

In two-QB leagues, there is no debate here: you need to pursue him, and I think I would pursue him rather heavily with a substantial FAAB bid if a team uses a second or third-round pick on him. I would probably start at 50% of my FAAB budget, and depending on what I outlined above, go as high as 60% of my budget.

In the event he’s drafted with a late-round pick, I would still pursue, but be cautious while doing it (20-25% of your FAAB). The reason is that low draft capital does not tie the franchise to Sorsby. High draft capital would almost guarantee he stays there for at least a few years.

In single-QB leagues, he is obviously less valuable, but still worth a bid. I’d go as high as 10% of my budget on him, depending on my QB situation and what I outlined above.

Thanks for reading and, as always, have a great day.

Josh