NCAA's New Eligibility Rules Affect Transfers, Rosters And Playing Time

Tyler Shough needed seven years of college football to become a starting NFL quarterback. Under the new eligibility model approved Tuesday, athletes will no longer have that option. Athletes in Division I, the top level of competition, will have five years to complete five seasons of competition, a move the NCAA hopes will add structure to a system stretched into chaos and courtrooms by countless transfers, redshirt decisions, injuries, players seeking more seasons to cash in on NIL opportunities and even pandemic-era complexities. The eligibility clock starts when an athlete enrolls full-time or at the beginning of the academic year following their 19th birthday, whichever occurs first. If the new rules withstand potential legal challenges, the development of college athletes will undergo a dramatic shift. There will be no more traditional redshirt years, nor will there be medical or general extension waivers available; the only limited exceptions for going beyond five-in-five would be for military service, religious missions and maternity leave. Tom Loy, a national recruiting analyst for 247Sports, said he believes the change could keep talented players in college for longer. "In addition, I believe this rule change would have coaches putting a significant emphasis on retaining as much of the current roster as possible, especially upperclassmen, while focusing their attention slightly less on the transfer portal," Loy said in an email. "With the opportunity to play five full seasons, they could have a roster full of 23-year-olds, for example, compared to 18- or 19-year-olds, and beyond that, potentially have a group full of talent they have developed in their system." The End Of The Redshirt Shough spent two seasons at Oregon and three at Texas Tech before suiting up at Louisville as a seventh-year senior in 2024. Injuries, a redshirt season and the pandemic extended his college career, extra time that helped turn him into a second-round draft pick and, eventually, the starting quarterback for the New Orleans Saints. He believes future college athletes should be given the same opportunities. "I think everybody should have a chance to at least get a medical and then a redshirt," Shough said. "I know I benefited from that experience, the maturation process, having to compete multiple years. I feel strongly about that." Detroit Lions rookie defensive lineman Aidan Keanaaina followed a similar path. His six-year college career included an undergraduate stint at Notre Dame and two postgraduate seasons at California following a medical redshirt and pandemic waiver, when the NCAA gave thousands of athletes an extra year. The 5-in-5 would have taken away his final college season in 2025, a year that helped him make his case to NFL scouts. Even so, he understands the effort to bring order to a landscape he described as the wild West. "You can’t please everyone in this world, ever, but they’re trying to please as many people as they can and do right by as many people as possible," said Keanaaina, an undrafted free agent. "As someone who was injured, I think it’s tough to make a one-size-fits-all rule. But I also get that sometimes an older player is taking opportunities away from a younger one." It Could Change Recruiting Or Have Other Ripple Effects While Shough and Keanaaina point to what the new model could eliminate, others believe opportunities will be created elsewhere in college sports. "I think it’s the NCAA’s way of keeping college sports as amateur as possible with the chaos that is the NIL era. It will be good for sports like lacrosse where post-grad and redshirt years are less common than in football," said Kelsey Fee, an assistant women’s lacrosse coach at Dartmouth. "It will open up the portal to a new slew of craziness with kids looking to use their fifth year." Fee said she also thinks the shift will bring an excitement to recruiting that hasn’t been felt in recent years. Loy, the recruiting analyst, said coaches could be more interested in high school prospects "and getting these guys on the field as quickly as possible." "Whether it works out or not, everyone would get a glimpse at where each prospect stands compared to others," he wrote. "The players would get the early playing time, the coaches would see who outperforms who, and then, without the ability to redshirt anyone, a prospect can continue to be developed if they want to stick around and compete. They also wouldn’t just rush to leave and transfer, since they know they have five years to play ball." Green Bay Packers center and 2022 third-rounder Sean Rhyan predicted stricter eligibility guidelines could change the way athletes think about transferring: Once the clock starts ticking, a case can no longer be made to rectify a misstep. "Five for five, that’s fair. I think NIL is good, but I also think it took away that loyalty aspect that I think sports need," Rhyan said. "Having that fixed amount of time is going to bring that loyalty." And then Rhyan added perhaps the most convincing argument of all: "Having like a 27-year-old linebacker or something and then you have a 17-year-old running back ... I think five for five is more than fair." Reporting by the Associated Press.

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NFL Informs QB Brendan Sorsby It Will Not Hold A Supplemental Draft This Year

The biggest storyline of the offseason just had another wrinkle thrown its way. The NFL informed former Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby on Tuesday that it will not hold a supplement draft this year, instead encouraging him to focus on preparing for possible entry into the league through next year's NFL Draft. Sorsby, who transferred from Cincinnati to Texas Tech this past offseason, applied for the supplemental draft after a legal battle with the NCAA, which had declared him ineligible for making thousands of bets on sporting events worth at least $90,000 during his college career. Those included at least 40 bets on Indiana while he was a freshman there in 2022, though none of the games in which he played for the Hoosiers that season. After spending a month in a residential treatment program, Sorsby sued the NCAA and gained a court-ordered reinstatement that prompted nationwide backlash toward Texas Tech. The controversy led Sorsby to enter this special draft session that has not been used to select a player since 2019. However, since Sorsby was the only player who opted for the supplemental draft – three days before the deadline – the NFL sent a letter to Sorsby regarding their decision to opt out of the draft. "The League has not conducted such a draft for several years and, prior to your submission, the League had no plans to do so this year, as no other player has sought entry," NFL attorney Lawrence P. Ferazani Jr. said in his letter. "Your Petition — filed three business days before the deadline, without any supporting information or documentation, and only after abandoning your recent litigation efforts to avoid NCAA sanctions — does not provide a basis for the League to alter those plans. The issues presented by your Petition are too significant, and too closely tied to the League’s core integrity interests, to permit meaningful review within the timeline presented." With the supplemental draft off the table, Sorsby will not play in the NFL in 2026. His next avenue into the NFL will be the 2027 draft, which will take place in April. Despite no chance for an NFL bid this fall, Sorsby could receive an opportunity to play in the UFL or Canadian Football League. He is currently ineligible to play collegiately under NCAA rules. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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2026 NFL Offseason: Ranking 15 New Faces In New Places Who'll Make Largest Impact

Through the draft, free agency and trades, NFL teams have added players who they believe will bring them success in 2026. But who are the newcomers poised to make the largest impact on wins and losses for their squads? Here’s my top 15, in descending order: A perennial Pro Bowl fullback, Ricard will be integral in helping the Giants establish the physical brand of football that new head coach John Harbaugh wants. Ricard's lead-blocking skills will clear rush lanes for dual-threat quarterback Jaxson Dart and a balanced running back room that gets Cam Skattebo back from injury. Tate, the No. 4 overall pick, has a good chance of being quarterback Cam Ward’s No. 1 wide receiver as a rookie, opening up a Titans pass game that struggled mightily last season. The Cowboys had the NFL’s worst pass defense a year ago. Enter Downs, selected No. 11 overall out of Ohio State, where he was a two-time All-American. From the nickelback position, Downs — touted as a generational safety prospect — is poised to make a massive difference in the back end with his communication skills, coverage IQ and sure tackling. In Moore, acquired from the Bears for a second-round pick, Josh Allen and the Bills get a bona fide No. 1 wide receiver for the first time since Stefon Diggs’ departure after the 2023 season. Buffalo hasn’t had a pass-catcher reach 900 yards over the past two years. With uncertainty at quarterback, the Cardinals’ offense could run through Love in 2026. Even with such talented pass-catchers as tight end Trey McBride and wide receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson, don’t be surprised to see the No. 4 overall pick surpass 1,000 rushing yards as a rookie. The Chiefs’ secondary underwent significant changes this offseason, highlighted by the blockbuster trade of CB Trent McDuffie to the Rams and the loss of Jaylen Watson in free agency. As a rookie, Delane, the No. 6 overall pick and an All-American out of LSU, will be expected to perform like a No. 1 cornerback. Linderbaum, a perennial Pro Bowl center for the Ravens, is expected to take significant pressure off quarterback Kirk Cousins (and eventually No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza) in reading defenses pre-snap at the line of scrimmage. His presence should also create more interior rush lanes for second-year running back Ashton Jeanty, who was frequently hit behind the line of scrimmage as a rookie. The Raiders signed Linderbaum for three years and $81 million, making him the highest-paid interior offensive lineman in NFL history. In McDuffie, a two-time All-Pro selection for Kansas City, the Rams now have a cornerback capable of taking a No. 1 receiver out of the game. Given the explosiveness of its offense, Los Angeles could be playing with the lead quite often in 2026, which makes McDuffie particularly valuable. The Rams sent four picks to the Chiefs for McDuffie, including a first-rounder in 2026. The former Notre Dame standout should immediately step in as RB1 for the reigning Super Bowl champion Seahawks, with Kenneth Walker III signing a free-agent deal with the Chiefs and top backup Zach Charbonnet recovering from a torn ACL. Waddle, acquired via trade in March, gives the Broncos a No. 1-caliber wide receiver and the explosive playmaking their offense has lacked. The speedy Waddle averaged 14.2 yards per reception last season, which would’ve led all Denver pass-catchers. The Ravens signed Hendrickson to a four-year, $112 million contract in March after backing out of a trade with the Raiders for Maxx Crosby. A double-digit sack threat, Hendrickson’s presence could elevate Baltimore's defense to the elite status it had prior to last season. The pass-rush juice he provides should speed up the clock in the pocket for opposing quarterbacks, leading to more playmaking opportunities for Baltimore’s talented secondary. Beyond giving the Patriots a true No. 1 wide receiver, Brown — acquired from the Eagles for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick — is a star who’s shown he’s capable of rising to the occasion in big moments. That’s something New England lacked in its run to the Super Bowl last season. The Pats didn’t have a pass-catcher reach 80 receiving yards in any of their four playoff games. Stefon Diggs, who was their leading receiver during the regular season, didn’t have a postseason appearance with more than 40 yards. Lawrence, the centerpiece of the Bengals’ defensive makeover this offseason, will make a significant impact on Cincinnati’s run defense, which ranked dead last in 2025 (147.1 rushing yards allowed/game). The Bengals gave up the No. 10 overall pick in the 2026 draft for the three-time Pro Bowler. If Murray plays to the Pro Bowl level we saw early in his career in Arizona, the Vikings will get more than a QB1 — they’ll have a player who can lead them back into contention in the NFC North. Plus, after the Cardinals released him, Murray is playing on a one-year, league-minimum deal worth $1.3 million. With Garrett in the fold, the Rams could have the NFL’s best defense by the end of the 2026 season. He’s that much of a force multiplier, making L.A. the heavy favorite to win the Super Bowl. And that's why the Rams traded Pro Bowl edge Jared Verse and three draft picks to Cleveland for the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. With the Rams’ explosive offense, it’s not difficult to envision a scenario where opposing offenses are scrambling for points late in games, providing many opportunities for Garrett to pin his ears back and get after quarterbacks. Just last year, he broke the NFL’s single-season sack record with 23.

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Raise Hail? 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk Shouts 'Go Commanders' In Social Post

So, Brandon Aiyuk wants to play for the Washington Commanders? The San Francisco 49ers' disgruntled star wide receiver posted a video to Instagram on Sunday that shows him repeatedly saying "Go Commanders" and chanting a handful of their rallying cries such as "Raise Hail" and "Take Command." What's more, Aiyuk posted a picture of former Washington quarterback Mark Rypien hoisting the Lombardi Trophy after the team's Super Bowl XXVI triumph over the Buffalo Bills. Of course, this is just the latest chapter in a two-year saga between Aiyuk and the 49ers that has included the receiver holding out for an extension, which he ultimately received in August 2024. He also made a public pitch to reunite with Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, Aiyuk's teammate at Arizona State in 2019. After signing his four-year, $120 million deal, Aiyuk tore his ACL and MCL seven games into the 2024 season. He didn't play in 2025, and after there were questions about whether he was healthy enough to return, the 49ers ultimately removed the injury guarantees in his contract. Following the 2025 campaign, San Francisco President of Football Operations John Lynch claimed it was "safe to say" that Aiyuk had "played his last snap with the 49ers." However, the 28-year-old receiver remains on the team's roster, with a robust trade market yet to develop. Aiyuk is entering the second season of his extension and recently called the franchise "stupid." From 2022-23, Aiyuk led the 49ers in both receptions and receiving yards. His best NFL season was in 2023, when he reeled in 75 receptions for 1,342 yards (17.9 yards per reception) and seven touchdowns. Should Aiyuk land in D.C., he'd join a Commanders' wide receiver room that includes two-time Pro Bowler Terry McLaurin, veteran Van Jefferson and 2026 third-round pick Antonio Williams, among others. Aiyuk's former 49ers teammate, wide receiver Deebo Samuel, led Washington in receptions (72), receiving yards (727) and receiving touchdowns (five) last season but remains a free agent. The Commanders are coming off a disappointing 5-12 campaign after reaching the NFC Championship Game in the 2024 season for the first time since 1991. Daniels, the 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, was limited to seven games last season due to knee, hamstring and elbow injuries.

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Top 10 QB-WR Duos: Where Do NFL's Newly Formed Combos Rank?

The 2025 season might have marked a changing of the guard in the NFL, and this offseason has seen plenty of shake-ups around the league, too. For years, three-time Super Bowl winner Patrick Mahomes was viewed as the best quarterback in the NFL. But he's now recovering from an ACL tear, and his most reliable target, Travis Kelce, is 36 and could be playing in his final season. So, after forming arguably the best quarterback-receiver duo for multiple seasons, you won't see future Hall of Famers Mahomes and Kelce on a list of the top quarterback-receiver duos in the NFL entering 2026. With the Kansas City Chiefs stars dropping off the list, there's room for other top quarterback-receiving duos to make their way into the top 10, including a handful of newly formed combinations. As the offseason movement has largely settled, let's attempt to identify the top 10 quarterback-receiver duos with just over a month from the start of training camps in July. Yes, I understand the Minnesota Vikings have not officially named a starter in the two-man competition between J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray. But for this exercise, we’ll assume Murray will be the guy who emerges as the starter for Week 1. In this career reset for the Oklahoma product, Murray is paired with the best receiver he’s thrown to since entering the league as the No. 1 overall pick in 2019. And for Jefferson, he gets an elite thrower of the football who should more accurately connect with the LSU product on deep shots, while also providing the added dimension to distort the defense and create explosive plays on second reaction throws. Add to it one of the best playcallers in the league in head coach Kevin O’Connell and the Vikings playing most of their games indoors, and we should see some fireworks on offense from Minnesota. The two-time NFL MVP was once again slowed by injuries last season, but Lamar Jackson finally has a No. 1 receiver option on the roster in Zay Flowers. The Boston College product finished seventh in the league in receiving yards (1,211) and eleventh in receptions last year (86). Last season, Flowers eclipsed the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the second time in his three-year NFL career, and at 25 years old, he still has room to grow as a receiver with the 29-year-old Jackson. Brock Purdy has had productive receivers over the years in Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings. But his security blanket has been tight end George Kittle, particularly in the red zone. And while the most explosive receiver on the roster remains Ricky Pearsall, his most consistent and reliable pass catcher on the perimeter should be free agent addition Mike Evans. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneer posted an NFL-record 11 straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons to begin his career. The concern for San Francisco will be how much Evans, who turns 33 in August, has left in the tank. With Mahomes coming off an injury, Josh Allen has taken the mantle as the most talented quarterback in the league right now. And while Khalil Shakir has shown that he can be a highly productive receiver in the slot, the addition of Moore via trade gives Allen the potential for his most productive receiver on the perimeter since Stefon Diggs left three years ago. Moore hasn’t had a 1,000-yard receiving season since 2023, but if he can stay healthy, that should change this season. Specifically, Allen will do a good job of getting the ball out quickly in space to Moore, allowing him to create big plays after the catch with his elite ability to make defenders miss in space. Drake Maye played well enough to finish one vote shy of winning MVP last season in only his second year as a pro, and that was with Stefon Diggs as his most talented receiver. Now, the addition of Brown gives New England one of the best receivers in the league and should open things up for the rest of the offense. Specifically, Brown’s ability to consistently win on contested catches down the field will create more explosive plays for the extremely accurate Maye. Also, Brown’s 21 receiving touchdowns over the last three seasons are tied for ninth in the NFL over that stretch. He should improve New England’s ability to consistently get into the end zone, particularly in the red zone, in the passing game. Amon-Ra St. Brown is the best slot receiver in the league, and Jared Goff has created a unique chemistry with the USC product. St. Brown has produced a league-high 33 receiving touchdowns over the last three seasons. And Goff’s ability to deliver the ball on time and on target has been a primary reason for St. Brown’s success. St. Brown led all receivers with 59 catches for 618 yards and five touchdowns while aligned from the slot, according to Next Gen Stats. George Pickens was the most productive receiver for Dallas last year in his first season with the Cowboys, finishing with career highs in receptions (93), receiving yards (1,429) and receiving touchdowns (9). However, Dak Prescott has built a stronger rapport with CeeDee Lamb because of their time together. Prescott and Lamb were particularly effective connecting on deep shots. Lamb finished with 12 receptions for 454 yards on catches of 20-plus yards or more, according to Next Gen Stats. Only Jaxon Smith-Njigba (13 receptions for 542 yards) had better numbers. Speaking of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, this past season's NFL Offensive Player of the Year, and his quarterback, Sam Darnold, land here. The Ohio State product set franchise single-season records for receptions (119) and receiving yards (1,793) in 2025. The 1,793 receiving yards are the eighth-most in league history, and his nine 100-yard games led the league during the regular season. Darnold and Smith-Njigba quickly developed chemistry after the QB signed with Seattle last offseason. Darnold and Smith-Njigba connected 31 times for 723 yards and six touchdowns on play-action last season (18.1 yards per attempt), making them the only quarterback-receiver duo to have combined for more than 700 such yards in a season during the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016). Teammates who won a national championship together at LSU, Burrow and Chase developed into the gold standard for quarterback and receiver tandem in the NFL. Chase won the triple crown as the league’s top receiver in 2021, leading the NFL in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708) and receiving touchdowns (17). Over the last three seasons, Chase is tops in receptions (352), receiving yards (4,336) and 32 touchdown receptions. Only St. Brown (33) has more touchdowns during that time. And since he entered the league in 2020, Burrow leads the league in completion percentage (68.5%), is third in passer rating (101.5) and is seventh in passing touchdowns (157). Matthew Stafford won the league’s MVP award last season for the first time in his 17-year NFL career, dominating the stat sheet. He led the NFL in touchdown passes (46), passing yards (4,707) and finished second in passer rating (109.2). While Davante Adams led the league in touchdown receptions (14), Stafford has developed a potent rapport with the acrobatic catching style of Puka Nacua, who posted the second-most receiving yards by a player in their first three seasons in NFL history, trailing only Justin Jefferson (4,825). In 2025, Nacua finished second in receiving yards (1,715) and tied for sixth in receiving touchdowns (10). Honorable mentions: Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix and WR Courtland Sutton; Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels and WR Terry McLaurin; Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams and WR Rome Odunze; Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and WR Xavier Worthy; Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert and WR Ladd McConkey.

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NFL Supplemental Draft: How Does It Work? What To Know As Brendan Sorsby Enters

Former Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has brought back a rare and obscure part of the NFL vocabulary: the supplemental draft. Sorsby, 22, has applied for the supplemental draft after gambling problems complicated his eligibility at Texas Tech. He had transferred there after two seasons at Indiana and two more at Cincinnati, but now will head to the NFL rather than play a final season of college football. Sorsby would have been a top draft prospect for 2027, having thrown for 27 touchdowns against just five interceptions last year at Cincinnati. Allegations of widespread gambling, including wagers placed on his own team, put his eligibility in jeopardy, and though a judge had granted an injunction allowing him to play the upcoming season, backlash from other schools led him to the NFL. So what exactly is the supplemental draft? How will it work for NFL teams considering adding Sorsby to their rosters? Here are the basics for the process, which will unfold over the next six weeks ahead of the start of NFL training camps. The NFL Supplemental Draft is intended for players who no longer have eligibility but were not eligible for the league's regular draft in April. It has become a rare phenomenon, with no players taken in a supplemental draft since safety Jalen Thompson was taken in the fifth round in 2019. Thompson, now with the Dallas Cowboys, is the only active NFL player taken in a supplemental draft. To take a player in a supplemental draft, an NFL team must be willing to give up a pick from the next year's draft. After evaluating a prospect, each team can submit a bid, using a 2027 draft pick, and the team submitting the highest pick gets the player, essentially using a pick from next year now. The player joins the team on a rookie contract commensurate with the same pick in this year's draft. To find a player most casual NFL fans would recognize from a supplemental draft, you have to go back 14 years to 2012, when Baylor receiver Josh Gordon was a supplemental second-round pick of the Cleveland Browns. He had been dismissed due to a positive marijuana test, and his NFL career was marked by similar violations. He had some success in Cleveland, highlighted by a 2013 season where he led the NFL with 1,646 receiving yards and made the Pro Bowl. He missed two entire seasons due to suspensions for violating the league's drug policies and totaled seven touchdowns in five seasons after his suspensions. Another recent example is Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who entered the supplemental draft in 2011 after he and other teammates were accused of selling memorabilia. Facing a five-game suspension, Pryor withdrew from college and was taken by the Oakland Raiders in the third round of the supplemental draft. But the NFL also suspended him for five games at the start of his professional career. The precedent with Pryor shows why NFL teams may be hesitant to draft Sorsby, as the league has taken a hard line against players gambling, with a minimum one-year suspension if a player is found to have bet on NFL games. NFL players can wager on other sports, but cannot do so while at team facilities or traveling with their team. No team has used a first-round pick in a supplemental draft since 1992, when the New York Giants took Duke quarterback Dave Brown in the first round. The league had five first-round supplemental picks between 1989 and 1992, most notably receiver Rob Moore, who went to the New York Jets in 1990. Hall of Fame receiver Cris Carter was a first-round supplemental pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1987. The supplemental draft becomes complicated if two or more teams submit bids for the same player in the same round. The league sorts NFL teams into three categories — those who won six or fewer games the previous season, the remaining teams who missed the playoffs and the 14 teams that made the playoffs. For this year, there are 10 teams in the first group — the Jets, Raiders, Giants, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Commanders, New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals — and those teams are chosen in a random order from a weighted lottery for the first subgroup. The same is done for the second group (eight teams), then the third (14), to create a supplemental draft order. So if more than one team submits, for example, a fifth-round pick, the team that is first in that order would get the player from the supplemental draft. Teams that have already given up 2027 picks in trades this year cannot bid using picks they no longer have. To some extent, this will depend on how high a pick he commands from teams. If it's a high draft pick, it might be limited to teams that don't have an obvious long-term answer at quarterback, like the Cardinals or Jets. Both of those teams used mid-round picks on quarterbacks in April, with the Cardinals taking Miami's Carson Beck in the third round and the Jets taking Clemson's Cade Klubnik in the fourth. The Pittsburgh Steelers, eyeing a successor to Aaron Rodgers, could be an option, though they used a third-round pick on Penn State's Drew Allar in April. If it's a lower pick, it could be any team that doesn't have a developmental backup they like, and Sorsby could be seen as a chance to get ahead of the talented pool of quarterbacks expected to be available in the 2027 draft. Apprehensions about his gambling problems will mitigate his draft value strictly from a talent standpoint. The NFL's deadline for prospects to apply for the supplemental draft is June 22, this coming Monday, and Sorsby has already reportedly applied. The league has established a one-week window from July 5-12, in which a player can hold a pro day and work out privately for teams, and then the supplemental draft is held on the seventh day before the start of the first NFL training camp, which would be in late July.

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Cincinnati's Scott Satterfield Expects Heavy NFL Interest in QB Brendan Sorsby

Scott Satterfield has fielded plenty of questions from NFL teams about Brendan Sorsby, especially after his former quarterback transferred to Texas Tech and information about Sorsby’s gambling addiction became well known. The University of Cincinnati coach expects the queries to increase now that Sorsby has decided not to play for Texas Tech this fall and will instead apply for the NFL supplemental draft. "There certainly have been scouts and GMs that have reached out just asking questions and more on a personal level, probably more than the football level, with their interest knowing that potentially something like this could happen. I certainly think now that the news is out, over the next few weeks, there’s going to be a lot more inquiries about him and trying to find more about him," Satterfield said Tuesday. "He’s very talented, has great size, can run, can throw." Sorsby’s decision capped a week of legal drama. A Texas judge had granted Sorsby a temporary injunction allowing him to play for Texas Tech this season despite being declared ineligible by the NCAA for wagering on college sports, including bets made on his own team while he was at Indiana. Satterfield said every NFL team had already asked him about Sorsby, especially early in the year when it seemed Sorsby might declare for the NFL draft in April. However, Sorsby chose to play his senior season at Texas Tech after signing a name, image and likeness deal. Sorsby passed for 2,800 yards and 27 touchdowns with five interceptions last season. He also ran for 580 yards and nine touchdowns. The Bearcats started 7-1 before losing their final four regular-season games. Sorsby did not play in Cincinnati’s 35-13 loss to Navy in the Liberty Bowl. In 2024, Sorsby completed 64% of his passes for 2,813 yards and 18 touchdowns with seven interceptions. He rushed for 447 yards and nine touchdowns that year. Cleveland coach Todd Monken hinted at the kinds of research some teams might be conducting when he was asked whether the Browns would be interested in Sorsby. "I don’t think we’re in a position to want to go down that road. That’s my opinion, that’s not (general manager) Andrew’s (Berry). I think that’s a slippery slope when you go down that, irrespective of talent, right? In terms of the situation he’s himself in, we all know what that is. He put himself in that situation. And we’ve seen in other sports with players who have been banned for life from playing in professional sports. "From my end of it, it’s kind of a tough angle to go down that road and think that’s going to be your franchise quarterback if he’s ever eligible to even play in the NFL," Monken said. If Sorsby had played for Texas Tech this season, it would have created a circus atmosphere on Oct. 24 when the Red Raiders are scheduled to visit Nippert Stadium for Cincinnati’s homecoming game. Cincinnati has a federal lawsuit pending against Sorsby in Ohio accusing him of breaching his NIL contract following his transfer to Texas Tech. A pretrial conference is scheduled in that case on July 10. Satterfield said he hopes Sorsby can overcome his problems and bounce back. "I’m pulling for Brendan in his future endeavors. I think if you just look at the history of the NFL, there are guys that have made mistakes and they still have taken chances on them, so I feel like he will have certainly learned from this and grow, and somebody will give him an opportunity," Satterfield said. Reporting by the Associated Press.

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