Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has officially withdrawn from college football and applied for the 2026 NFL Supplemental Draft. His application immediately ends an unprecedented legal clash over his gambling suspension, which escalated Tuesday when the Big 12 Conference filed a federal lawsuit against Texas Tech and the state’s attorney general to prevent his return.
Sorsby’s legal team is abandoning their Lubbock County lawsuit, which had previously secured a temporary injunction allowing him to play in 2026. The NCAA had formally appealed to a Texas court to strike down that injunction before the season began. Sorsby originally lost his eligibility in April after admitting to a severe sports betting addiction.
The quarterback placed over $90,000 in wagers during a four-year span, court documents show. At least 40 of those bets were placed on his own team or against his teammates while he played for the Indiana Hoosiers in 2022 and 2023.
Texas Tech initially stood behind Sorsby after signing him to a $5 million name, image, and likeness deal this offseason. The university classified his betting as a mental health condition requiring treatment rather than an outright disciplinary expulsion. That stance drew intense opposition across college football. Athletic directors from the 15 other Big 12 universities unanimously opposed his reinstatement, and several rival schools threatened to boycott games against the Red Raiders.
By entering the blind-bidding system before the league’s June 22 deadline, professional franchises can acquire Sorsby by forfeiting an equivalent pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. Professional talent evaluators grade the quarterback as a high-ceiling prospect, and he could become the first opening-round selection in the specialized summer draft since 1992. Regardless of his final bid, he will be the first player chosen through this process since 2019.