Ahead of the NFL’s supplemental draft in July, Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby received a lot of attention, and not for the right reasons. The signal-caller was denied his eligibility due to illegal gambling by the NCAA, but a recent decision from the Lubbock County Court in Texas has changed everything.
Brendan Sorsby’s Light Punishment Sets a ‘Dangerous Precedent’
Sorsby put together a solid college resume, with many projecting him as a first-round pick. Teams like the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, and Cleveland Browns were floated as candidates to get him in the Supplemental Draft, but now that Sorsby has been allowed to continue his college career, the teams will have to wait for next year’s draft to get him.
Across his time at Indiana and Cincinnati, the signal-caller recorded 7,208 passing yards, 60 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions as a three-year starter before transferring to Texas Tech. He logged an 88.2 PFSN CFB Impact score in 2025, which ranked 10th in the nation.
However, the hot water he landed himself in with his reported gambling addiction is seen as a bad sign of a player who comes with baggage. Moreover, the fact that he was excused with nothing more than a two-game suspension by a Texas judge further adds to many people’s criticism.
Former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho, during a segment on “Speakeasy,” weighed in on the latest developments, bashing the lack of integrity in the controversy.
“Brendan Sorsby being able to play is probably the most disgusting thing the NCAA has seen in the last decade or so,” Acho said. “If you can gamble on your own team, you absolutely undermine the integrity of the game.”
“I don’t think Brendan Sorsby should be able to play football ever again”
– @EmmanuelAcho GOES IN about the recent news of Brendan Sorsby’s illegal gambling activity being excused with a two-game suspension by a Texas judge
WE’RE STILL LIVE ⬇️ https://t.co/zrciOFaf9W pic.twitter.com/uq5krvXmUV
— Speakeasy (@speakeasytlkshw) June 9, 2026
“When fans watch a game,” Acho added, “they want to watch the game with at least the thought — the knowledge — that what I am watching is not up to chance, what I am watching is up to hard work, determination, dedication, and it is not in any way, shape, or form being negatively impacted by a player who might have an ulterior motive on the game.”
Sorsby is alleged to have placed at least 40 bets involving the Indiana Hoosiers while being on their roster. Court filings allege that he used sportsbook accounts belonging to friends and family members to place roughly $90,000 in wagers over a four-year period.
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“At the point at which a player is wagering in excess of $90,000 on games that he is actively involved in — by knowledge of the scouting report, by knowledge of the injury report, or by actually playing in the game, you’re completely ruining, jeopardizing and undermining one of the last things in our country that actually brings us together,” Acho added. “I think it’s a very dangerous precedent to set.”
The Alabama State gambling case stands in strict contrast with Sorsby’s light punishment. Four former basketball players who accepted $2,000 to influence a game’s outcome were permanently banned from all NCAA competitions, with two of them currently facing criminal charges.
Sorsby’s two-game suspension for betting around $90,000 on game outcomes pales in comparison to the consequences other players have faced before.
Historically, the NCAA has usually stripped players of their eligibility when they are caught gambling on association-sanctioned competitions. They wanted to do the same with Sorsby; however, a judge granted a temporary injunction halting the NCAA’s ban, and now the 22-year-old quarterback is cleared to play for Texas Tech this year, following a two-game suspension.
How the controversy impacts Sorsby’s draft stock will be interesting to watch.
