Tom Pelissero on Brendan Sorby’s Options after NFL Supplemental Draft Snub

With the NFL declining to hold a supplemental draft, the obvious next question is what Brendan Sorsby actually does now. Tom Pelissero laid out the menu, and the realistic part of it is short.

First, the immediate logistics. Pelissero said his understanding is that Sorsby is still training as if ramping up to a pro day, tentatively July 10th in Texas. But without a supplemental draft, there is no reason to hold one. From there the options thin out fast. He could try another pro league, but Pelissero does not see it. The UFL season is done, and the CFL is a completely different game that would not help. He could drop down to a non-NCAA program, NAIA or junior college.

The path back to the NCAA, Pelissero believes, has closed. Sorsby already withdrew his lawsuit, and refiling the same suit, when what he had was an injunction rather than a final ruling in his favor, would be very complicated. Pelissero, who noted he is not a lawyer, also raised the practical questions. Would any school even take him right now? And is it good for Sorsby to land somewhere with a new offense and unfamiliar teammates, show up for fall camp, and possibly serve a suspension once the matter heads back to court? He does not see that happening, even after Jay Bilas suggested the injunction was likely to be overturned anyway.

That leaves two real choices. Sorsby can keep fighting and go after the NFL to force a supplemental draft. The plain language of the CBA gives the league the choice, but Pelissero noted the counterargument: the league told Sorsby's camp the application was enough, then turned around and said it was not. "We filled out exactly what you told us," is how Pelissero framed the case, "now you're saying that's not enough."

Or, Sorsby can take the quieter road. Stay in Texas, train every single day, stay out of trouble, and position himself as one of the top quarterbacks available next April. For a player who has already spent more than a million dollars fighting to play, the least dramatic option may be the one that gets him to the NFL fastest.