The Pittsburgh Steelers have been searching for their next franchise quarterback for the last few years. Unfortunately, this year’s draftable quarterbacks were underwhelming. The Steelers weren’t in a position to spend a high pick on a signal-caller. However, the supplemental draft could present an interesting option to them. Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby is currently being investigated for an alleged gambling scandal, and he could declare for the NFL if he faces a suspension this season.
Sources: Texas Tech transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby is checking into a residential treatment program for a gambling addiction. He’s under NCAA investigation in the wake of the discovery of Sorsby making thousands of bets via a gambling app. https://t.co/O7gNSqDaKE
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 27, 2026
NFL insider Albert Breer wonders if the Steelers might consider spending a first-round pick on Sorsby.
“What if you’re Pittsburgh and you say, ‘Brendan Sorsby is going to be a top five pick next year,'” Breer said Thursday on The Rich Eisen Show. “Some people look at him that way.
“If you’re the Steelers, do you say, ‘If Aaron Rodgers is here, we think we’re gonna win nine or 10 games, Mike McCarthy is our coach. Sure, that’s going to be the 20th pick in the draft, that’s gonna be the 23rd pick in the draft. We’ll throw that at him.'”
It’s unclear if Sorsby will declare for the supplemental draft yet. His actions are currently under investigation, and no official ruling on his future at Texas Tech has been made.
However, if he does decide to move to the NFL, the Steelers could consider him. Sorsby was expected to be one of the top quarterbacks in the 2027 draft. His college career started at Indiana in 2022, but he transferred to Cincinnati in 2024.
Sorsby spent the last two years there, and he looked like one of the country’s most promising quarterbacks. That includes throwing for 2,800 yards with 27 touchdown passes and five interceptions last season.
Despite Sorsby’s talent, the supplemental draft can be tricky. Depending on which round he’s taken in, the team that selects him will lose its pick in that round in the subsequent draft. Therefore, if the Steelers take Sorsby in the first round of the supplemental draft, they’ll lose their first-round pick in the 2027 draft.
That’s a huge risk for a player who not only has flaws but is also facing illegal gambling allegations. Also, the 2027 quarterback class is supposed to be loaded. If the Steelers spend their first pick on him, they could miss out on a better prospect.
Still, Breer doesn’t have a ton of confidence that a team will sacrifice its first-round pick for Sorsby.
“I don’t know if that’s likely, but I think if you’re one of these teams that believes they’ll be drafting at the bottom of the round… Is it worth the 28th pick in the draft, the 26th pick in the draft to get a guy who might be a top five pick if he’s in the draft next year?”
Cowboys safety Jalen Thompson was the most recently selected prospect in the supplemental draft, and that was in 2019. The Arizona Cardinals gave up a fifth-round pick for him, and he’s had a solid career.
However, 1992 was the last time a team spent a first-round pick in the supplemental draft, selecting quarterback Dave Brown. He played for 10 seasons but had minimal success.
There are plenty of horror stories when it comes to the supplemental draft. That’s why it might be wise for the Steelers to pass on giving up their first-round pick for Sorsby. Maybe giving up a Day 2 pick makes more sense, but that still comes with plenty of risk.
Recommended for you