The Atlanta Falcons could quietly be preparing to benefit from one of the biggest storylines in the college football world right now. The Falcons' quarterback room is solid, but right now, it lacks any long-term options unless Michael Penix Jr. or Tua Tagovailoa has a major bounce-back year in 2026.
The gambling scandal surrounding Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby's could strip him of his remaining college eligibility. It sounds like as much as him and his lawyers try to grant an injunction to allow him to play again despite his gambling, it looks unlikely that the NCAA will allow that to happen.
So because of Sorsby, Atlanta could find a potential franchise QB while Penix and Tagovailoa are in the midst of their training camp battle this summer. And I'm not talking about in free agency. The NFL supplemental draft could offer the answer to Falcons' fans prayers if he decides to declare for it.
The Falcons must at least consider adding Brendan Sorbsy in the supplemental draft
He's reportedly seeking treatment for a gambling addition, so this is no ordinary leave of absence. Sorsby was found to have allegedly placed thousands of bets over the years, including some his own team when he was with Indiana in 2022. And this situation is only going to get more dicey over time.
Sorsby threw for 2,800 yards and 27 touchdowns (and ran for nine more) to just five interceptions with Cincinnati in 2025, but transferred to Texas Tech instead of declaring for the 2026 Draft due to a major NIL package. He was looked at as one of the best QB prospects in the nation, and would've joined players like Texas' Arch Manning and Oregon's Dante Moore atop the 2027 quarterback class.
With his future up in the air, the best way for Sorsby to get to the NFL is through the aforementioned Supplemental Draft in July. So if the All-Big 12 signal-caller's legal battle falls flat, it feels inevitable that he'll be taken even though a player hasn't even been selected in the supplemental draft since safety Jalen Thompson landed with the Arizona Cardinals in 2019.
The supplemental draft is designed for players (like Sorsby) who did not declare for the standard NFL Draft, typically due to academic or disciplinary issues. The 22-year-old has until June 30 to declare for the supplemental draft, so while he tries to fight an uphill legal battle, this draft may be his only course of action.
The supplemental draft order is determined by a weighted lottery based on the previous season's results with teams grouped into tiers based on their win total. From there, teams blindly submit bids using picks from the following draft, and if you're the highest bidder, you forefit that pick next draft.
For instance, if the Falcons bid a fourth-round pick on Sorsby and are the highest bidder, they'll lose their fourth-rounder in the 2027 NFL Draft. And if there's a tie, it boils down to the lottery system, which is why the Dirty Birds could kick the tires on a high-upside QB like Sorsby without any real risk.
Opportunities like this to add a potential franchise QB in July don't come all that often. Both Penix and Tagovailoa are entering make-or-break seasons, so taking a risk on someone like Sorsby, who could receive NFL discipline even after the supplemental draft, before they ever take a snap in Kevin Stefanski's system risks severing the relationship with one (or both) of them entirely.
The Falcons are probably better seeing things through with their current QB tandem and addressing the position during the 2027 NFL Draft should they struggle, but still, opportunities like this are incredibly rare and it could allow them to finally start building out their quarterback room long-term.
It's a high-risk but high reward play, so Ian Cunningham and the Falcons will have a lot to consider if Brendan Sorsby ends up in the supplemental draft.
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