Brendan Sorsby’s name has dominated headlines across the sports world for what feels like forever now. It appears, however, that the drama may finally begin to settle down.
Earlier this week, the NFL denied Sorsby’s request to enter the NFL Supplemental Draft.
The Supplemental Draft is designed for college players who miss the traditional NFL Draft because of academic or eligibility issues. Unlike the traditional draft, there is no predetermined selection order. Instead, teams submit the round in which
they would be willing to draft an eligible player. If multiple teams submit bids, the team offering the highest round wins the player’s rights but must forfeit that corresponding draft pick in the following year’s NFL Draft.
For example, if the Saints had submitted a seventh-round bid for Sorsby, but the Panthers submitted a third-round bid, Sorsby would have been awarded to Carolina. In return, the Panthers would have forfeited their third-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Fortunately for every NFL team, that scenario is now off the table. The NFL denied Sorsby’s application for the Supplemental Draft after he and his representatives sought eligibility following the recent events surrounding his departure from Texas Tech.
The NFL is not required to hold a Supplemental Draft every year. In fact, the league has not held one since 2023, when two players were available but neither were selected. The last player chosen in a Supplemental Draft was safety Jalen Thompson, who was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in 2019.
The Saints have participated in the Supplemental Draft only once in franchise history. In 1981, New Orleans used a first-round Supplemental Draft selection on quarterback Dave Wilson, which cost the Saints their first-round pick in the 1982 NFL Draft. That selection ultimately became the No. 3 overall pick, a draft that featured Hall of Fame running back Marcus Allen.
According to reports, Sorsby’s request was denied because of the circumstances surrounding his NCAA eligibility, as well as the league not having sufficient time to fully review his case. The NFL advised Sorsby to wait until the 2027 NFL Draft.
It remains to be seen what comes next for Sorsby, but his situation is beginning to resemble that of Saints quarterback Hunter Dekkers.
