As Brendan Sorsby fought to play one more year of college football, the NFL lingered as his potential escape route.
While Sorsby faced NCAA punishment for gambling violations, many assumed he could simply enter the NFL’s supplemental draft and leave the controversy behind.
The NFL may have other plans. Sorsby’s gambling violations happened in college, but the league could still investigate and impose discipline.
The cases of Kayshon Boutte and Hunter Dekkers offer clues about what Sorsby might face.
Will Brendan Sorsby play in the NFL?
Terrelle Pryor received a five-game NFL suspension after entering the supplemental draft in 2011 while facing NCAA punishment. That precedent suggests Sorsby could face similar discipline.
It’s rare for the NFL to punish players for violations committed before they enter the league. The league’s decision not to discipline Patriots receiver Kayshon Boutte provides the best evidence that Sorsby might start with a clean slate.
Boutte faced charges for illegal gambling and openly admitted he had an addiction while in college.
The Boutte situation had one crucial difference compared to Sorsby’s case.
Kayshon Boutte’s gambling history
Boutte wasn’t suspended by the NFL after facing charges for underage gambling at LSU. The key factor: his gambling violations didn’t become public until he was already playing professionally.
The league knows about Sorsby’s violations before he enters the NFL. That could change how they approach discipline.
Boutte placed nearly 9,000 bets while at LSU, according to Louisiana State Police. He bet on his own team at least six times.
Charges for underage gambling were ultimately dismissed. The NFL didn’t pursue discipline against Boutte, who had already started his Patriots career.
Hunter Dekkers’ gambling history
Hunter Dekkers might be unfamiliar to most fans, but his case could be the best evidence that Sorsby won’t face NFL discipline.
The former Iowa State quarterback pled guilty to underage gambling after placing hundreds of bets while under 21. He bet on his own team in a game where he didn’t play.
After spending a year at the community college level, Dekkers declared for the 2025 NFL Draft. He faced no NFL suspension and spent the offseason with the Saints after going undrafted.
The key difference: Dekkers sat out a season at the collegiate level after the NCAA revoked his eligibility.
In the NFL’s eyes, Dekkers served his sentence for gambling violations. The league may see Sorsby as someone who didn’t serve his time at the collegiate level.
If the NCAA tried to keep Sorsby off the field in 2025, the NFL might feel he still owes a suspension.
If Sorsby does face NFL discipline, he’d certainly lean on the Boutte and Dekkers cases in any appeal.
