Despite being banned from competing during the 2026 college football season, new reports offer reason to expect former Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby to end up being a top QB prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft.

In the spring, Sorsby was one of the elite players available in the transfer portal. He was so in demand that he ended up landing a deal from Texas Tech that was rumored to be worth $5 million. However, he never played a down for the Red Raiders.

After signing his deal it was revealed that while in college Sorsby had spent close to $100,000 on online gambling. Which of course was an NCAA violation. While a court ruling allowed him to play in 2026, the public backlash was overwhelming and forced the QB and the school to end their partnership.

The gambling also made the NFL decide to block him from entering the supplemental draft. Now, Sorsby must wait until next year to restart his football career. However, the QB has kept busy with some interesting training, according to Tom Pelissero.

Brendan Sorsby doing early NFL game planning while in exile

Sorsby is spending his free time with longtime college and NFL quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello. The coach has been teaching him plays and terminology he learned during stints with the San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons. Furthermore, since the season began he spends the week game planning for various pro defenses.

“In Week 1, Sorsby ‘faced’ DeMeco Ryans’s Texans D. Then it was Vic Fangio’s Eagles, Vance Joseph’s Broncos, and, this week and next, they’re focusing on Mike Macdonald’s Seahawks” Pelissero revealed.

“Each week, Scangarello installs two to three more 49ers offensive plays to beat specific looks each defensive play caller presents. Then, Sorsby drills each aspect of the game plan—third down, protections, red zone, etc.—in three weekly throwing sessions tied to what he’s learning.”

It certainly isn’t the same as game action, but the transition to the Xs and Os side of the NFL can be the toughest for rookies. However, Sorsby will be as ready as any prospect can be to contribute right away.

2027 QB class far from set

Along with that, the race to be the No. 1 QB has widen as Arch Manning has struggled and Dante Moore has missed time with a concussion this season. Plus, according to the NFL insider it is still unclear which QBs will even be available in April.

“Of the QBs regarded as potential first-round prospects, only Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss is currently guaranteed to be in the 2027 draft,” he noted. “And the economics of college football make staying in college for as long as possible good business for all but surefire first-round NFL draft picks.”

“The third quarterback taken in last year’s draft, Carson Beck, went no. 62 and received a roughly $1.85 million signing bonus—a pay cut from the more than $3 million in NIL money he got the previous season at Miami.”