The NFL supplemental draft is suddenly a popular talking point in light of the Brendan Sorsby gambling scandal. It’s a mechanism that gives draft-eligible players who did not enter the regular NFL Draft a chance to be selected by teams for the upcoming season.
The first supplemental draft was held in 1977. Normally, players who declare for the supplemental draft do so because of unexpected eligibility issues in college (academic or disciplinary) that prevent them from returning to college football.
Prospects have to apply with and be approved by the NFL league office for eligibility in the supplemental draft. The league hosts the supplemental draft only if there are eligible players, which hasn’t happened since 2023. There were two eligible prospects that year, though neither was selected.
A player hasn’t been selected in the supplemental draft since 2019 — the longest drought in its history — when the Arizona Cardinals selected defensive back Jalen Thompson.
How does it work?
The draft order for the Supplemental Draft is determined via a lottery system based on the previous season’s win-loss records. The draft order is divided into three groups:
1. Teams with six or fewer wins
2. The rest of the non-playoff teams
3. The 14 playoff teams
The order of each group is randomly selected. If a team is interested in drafting a prospect, they place a bid on that player in a certain round. If multiple teams submit bids on a player in the same round, the team picking first in the order is awarded the player.
Once a team drafts a player in the supplemental draft, it must forfeit its pick in that round in the following NFL Draft. The supplemental draft is typically untelevised and takes about 10 minutes.
When is it?
In the summer, but the specific date for this year — if it happens — has not been announced. The supplemental draft is conducted on or before the seventh calendar day before the opening of the first training camp. That means it will likely be in early or mid-July.
Why could Brendan Sorsby be a supplemental draft prospect?
Although it’s been three years since the NFL last hosted the supplemental draft, the possibility of this year’s has been a topic of discussion, given the potential of eligibility issues for Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby.
Sorsby transferred to Texas Tech in January as one of the most coveted players in the transfer portal. The fifth-year senior began his career at Indiana and spent the past two seasons at Cincinnati.
On Monday, Texas Tech announced that Sorsby was taking an “immediate and indefinite leave of absence” from the football program as he enters a residential treatment program for a gambling addiction.
Industry sources confirmed to The Athletic an ESPN report saying that Sorsby bet on Indiana football in 2022 while he was a redshirt freshman for the Hoosiers. According to updated NCAA sports betting guidelines passed in 2023, players who bet on games involving their own school face potential permanent loss of eligibility.
The NCAA is investigating Sorsby’s gambling, industry sources told The Athletic, and there is no timetable on his treatment or return to football. However, since the investigation is focused on the actions of Sorsby and no school is facing allegations of violations, a resolution to the case could come quickly.
If Sorsby’s final year of college eligibility is rescinded, he could opt for the supplemental draft and embark on his pro career. He’d also be jumping ahead of a loaded 2027 NFL Draft quarterback class that could potentially include Texas’ Arch Manning, Oregon’s Dante Moore and others.
— Justin Williams and Chris Vannini contributed to this report.