The supplemental draft has a far different set of rules than the regular draft. Those rules could help quarterback Brendan Sorsby get drafted higher than he perhaps otherwise would.
MDS recently posted a comprehensive look at the supplemental draft procedure. To determine priority within the seven rounds, the NFL will initially separate the teams into three groups — teams that won six or fewer games in 2025 (Jets, Bengals, Browns, Titans, Chiefs, Raiders, Commanders, Giants, Saints, Cardinals), teams that won seven or more games and missed the playoffs in 2025 (Dolphins, Ravens, Colts, Cowboys, Vikings, Lions, Buccaneers, Falcons), and the 2025 playoff teams (Patriots, Bills, Steelers, Jaguars, Texans, Broncos, Chargers, Eagles, Bears, Packers, Panthers, Seahawks, Rams, and 49ers).
Within each group, the NFL will conduct a weighted lottery to determine the precise order. Then, the top-to-bottom priority will be set.
The supplemental draft won’t proceed like the usual draft, with one team on the clock and then the next and the next. Before each round, a team will bid its pick. Then, if/when one or more bids are made, the player will be awarded based on the official priority.
If a team that is low in the overall priority decides, after doing its full analysis of Sorsby, that it believes he could develop into a year-to-year starter with a chance of eventually becoming a short-list franchise quarterback, that team will be inclined to move before the teams higher in the priority put in a bid for him.
Currently, there’s a general vibe that he’ll be a third-round pick. If one of the playoff teams that doesn’t believe it has a long-term answer at the position decides that Sorsby could be the guy, that team will be instantly tempted to make a move in round two.
Depending on the impression Sorsby makes between now and the start of the supplemental draft, a playoff team from 2025 could be inclined to sacrifice what would potentially be a low first-round pick in 2027 to get Sorsby before one of the non-playoff teams could take him in round two.
The guessing game will require all teams to keep their true views on Sorsby under wraps. There could be plenty of misinformation and misdirection in the coming days and weeks, if one or more teams decide they want Sorsby — and if they then try to bend the outcome of the supplemental draft in their direction.
Given that the possibility of Sorsby entering the supplemental draft has lingered since late April, plenty of teams have likely already done much of the homework. Surely, one or more teams already know whether they are, or aren’t, interested.
The position is too important for any team to not at least take a close look at Sorsby. Yes, picking him entails risk. He could be suspended in 2026 (he shouldn’t be). His gambling addiction could resurface, resulting in a future suspension — or, possibly, a full-blown gambling scandal for the team and the league.
But let’s be realistic about this. Where does the greater risk for a future gambling scandal come from? A player who will be monitored continuously like no other player has ever been monitored, or one of the hundreds of players to whom no one is paying extra attention?
These are questions for the 32 teams to resolve, one by one. For now, the point is this: Sorsby could end up going in round one, if only one team that is low in the priority decides it wants to get him before anyone else can in round two.
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