After the NFL shut the door on a supplemental draft this year, Brendan Sorsby now appears headed toward the 2027 NFL Draft. Although he never got the opportunity to play at Texas Tech after transferring from Cincinnati, his breakout 2025 season with the Bearcats had some evaluators viewing him as a quarterback with first-round upside. PFN’s Ian Cummings remained optimistic about Sorsby’s long-term potential, but former Ohio State head coach and Fox Sports analyst Urban Meyer believes the missed year of game action has significantly altered his draft outlook.

“There’s a big question mark,” said Meyer during his June 25 appearance on The Triple Option with Rob Stone. “I called, our opinion the best out there. Todd McShay, and we have very similar opinions of the guy. I made the comment, ‘I would love to coach this player [Brendan Sorsby]. He’s tough. He’s physical. He’s big. He’s 6’3, 225 pounds, and can really run. I call him courageous. He’s a first-down-getting quarterback. If you know, the most important job of a quarterback is to get a first down and then go get another one. That’s what he does.’ We both thought he could have played his way into maybe a top-10 pick.

“Think about that potential top 10 pick. He will not be a top 10 pick next year. There’s no chance. They’re going to have to work him out, and you know what he does. Cause the most important thing that a quarterback can do is play. And he still is inaccurate at times. There are a lot of things he still has to work on.”

As a redshirt junior, Sorsby recorded 2,800 passing yards and 27 touchdowns with Cincinnati. In his pre-draft evaluation, Cummings praised the quarterback’s physical tools, writing, “He has elite arm strength, arm elasticity, and angle freedom. He’s also a phenomenal athlete for his size.” However, Cummings viewed Sorsby as a developmental prospect rather than a finished product, ranking him as his QB6 entering the 2027 class.

Meyer, meanwhile, believes a year away from meaningful game action makes it unrealistic for Sorsby to remain in the top-10 conversation, especially with quarterbacks like Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, Notre Dame’s CJ Carr, Oregon’s Dante Moore, Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss, USC’s Jayden Maiava, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava and Texas’ Arch Manning all expected to headline the class.

The financial implications could be significant. Sorsby has already lost his reported $5 million NIL package after parting ways with Texas Tech. If he ultimately slips from a potential top-10 selection into the second round, the difference in his rookie contract alone could reach well into the eight figures. B

ased on Spotrac’s projected rookie wage scale, the No. 10 pick is expected to sign a four-year deal worth approximately $29.6 million, while the first pick of the second round is projected at roughly $12.9 million—a gap of nearly $17 million. A larger slide would widen that difference even further. Meyer himself never projected those financial figures, but his assessment that Sorsby no longer has a realistic shot at the top 10 forms the basis of that potential loss.

His gambling history also remains a major hurdle. The NFL has historically treated gambling violations involving players very seriously, particularly in cases involving betting connected to one’s own team or league. Here’s where Rob Stone offered an alternative path for Brendan Sorsby. “I got three letters for you, Mr. Sorsby: CFL,” said Stone.

Brendan Sorsby won’t be a starter

There’s no doubt about Sorsby’s capability. Meyer praised his skill, and Cummings also highlighted his physical gifts. Yet, Brendan Sorsby needs improvement to become a top pick, and that’s why Cummings considers him his QB6.

“I don’t think the processing speed is at the level where he can be a high-end NFL starter, or at least a quality NFL starter, right out of the gate,” said Cummings in June 2026. “He is an above-average processor who can find leverage and work a two-on-one, but he doesn’t yet have the anticipation or independence to run an offense from day one.”

However, Brendan Sorsby’s NFL fate is hanging in the balance as his attorney is ready to take action against the NFL. Should that legal challenge fail, the CFL could provide Sorsby with an opportunity to continue playing and rebuild his draft stock before making another push toward the NFL—a path that worked for four-time Pro Bowler Jeff Garcia before he joined the San Francisco 49ers.