After all that, Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby is entering the 2026 NFL supplemental draft.
Despite a district court in Lubbock County, Texas, granting him a temporary injunction against the NCAA that restored his eligibility for 2026, Sorsby will seek entry into the NFL’s offseason draft.
Statement from Brendan Sorsby. pic.twitter.com/qNUGF93CqU
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) June 16, 2026
"I am grateful for the support from my family, my Tech coaching staff, teammates, the community, and so many others who have encouraged me to address and learn more about this important issue," Sorsby wrote. "As my journey continues, I remain fully committed to and focused on being the best I can be, both on and off the field."
Before the court’s ruling, the NCAA had permanently declared Sorsby ineligible for collegiate competition following an investigation into years of gambling on NCAA-sanctioned sports. As a freshman quarterback at Indiana, Sorsby placed at least 40 bets on Indiana football games, part of more than 9,000 sports wagers totaling at least $90,000 over the course of his college career.
The Big 12 has spent the past week evaluating potential enforcement options involving Sorsby and Texas Tech, including possible ineligibility for the Big 12 Championship Game. In response to public comments by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the conference filed a request seeking judicial relief to enforce its own eligibility rules against the Red Raiders. Attorneys general from Oklahoma, Kansas and Utah have voiced support for the Big 12’s position.
Instead of continuing through the ongoing legal process, Sorsby will now attempt to become the first player to enter the NFL supplemental draft in the NIL era, shifting the center of gravity of the case from college athletics governance to professional eligibility.
Texas Tech is now left to absorb the fallout from their support of Sorsby throughout a turbulent legal process that ends without him ever taking a snap for the program. According to a statement from Red Raiders booster Cody Campbell, Texas Tech will not seek any money that has already been paid to Sorsby.
Statement regarding Brendan Sorsby.
— Cody Campbell (@CodyC64) June 16, 2026
Long Live the Matadors! pic.twitter.com/FxPd00uT9L
"Texas Tech will continue to provide the support and recovery resources Brendan requires on this journey. Furthermore, Texas Tech will not seek return of any amounts already paid to Brendan through his NIL agreements with the University," Campbell wrote. "We wish our best to Brendan, and we offer our prayers to him and his family as he chases his dreams at the next level. This has been an unbelievably painful experience for us all, but I know that his true, underlying character and lessons learned through this experience will ultimately bring him great success on the field of play and in life."
The Red Raiders will now turn to backup quarterback Will Hammond in 2026. He missed spring practice while recovering from a torn ACL suffered in October.
