The Supplemental Draft QB With First Round Talent and a Pete Rose Problem
The Detroit Lions are being linked to Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who is entering the NFL supplemental draft after failing to get his college eligibility back. Draft analyst Bill Sparks included Detroit among five teams he thinks could pursue Sorsby, who was expected to go in the first round of the 2027 NFL Draft before everything fell apart.
On paper, it sounds intriguing. Sorsby is 22 years old. He has first round talent. And the Lions could theoretically use the supplemental draft to grab a long term successor to Jared Goff without burning an early pick in next year’s draft.
But here is the problem, and it is not a small one.
Why Sorsby is Available in the Supplemental Draft
Sorsby admitted to violating NCAA gambling rules by placing thousands of sports bets totaling roughly $90,000. That includes wagers on his own team while he was at Indiana. There has never been any indication that he tried to influence the outcome of games, and he has since entered treatment for a gambling addiction, but that does not change what he did.
This is not Jameson Williams territory. Williams bet on non-NFL sporting events while in an NFL facility, which is still insane he got in trouble for that. What Sorsby did was different.
He went full Pete Rose and bet on his own sport. Then he went beyond Rose and bet on his own team. A team he started games for.
Why the Lions Will Stay Far Away
All respect to Sorsby for getting the help he needs. Seriously. But this is going to hang over his head forever, and any time the team that picks him up loses or he throws an interception, people are going to wonder. The Lions have no room for that. Not now. Not with Jared Goff under contract till at least the end of the decade. Not with Teddy Bridgewater as a veteran backup. Not with UDFA Luke Altmyer already gaining some hype.
The Lions have not picked anyone in the supplemental draft since 1982. There is no reason to break that streak for a gamble like this.
Is there any universe where Brad Holmes rolls the dice on Sorsby or is this just noise from a draft analyst with too much time on his hands? Drop your take below.
