The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a position where they have to just take any quarterback option they can in the hopes that one of the young guys they pick up works out. In the 2026 NFL Draft, that option was Drew Allar, a project passer with loads of upside to go with a ton of concerning mechanical flaws. He and Will Howard are both looking to develop and eventually become the starter, especially if the 2027 draft class is anywhere near as disappointing as this latest one.
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Steelers' Drew Allar looks on during his time playing for Penn State in college.
On top of that, the Steelers may have an opportunity to get a first-round caliber quarterback with the upcoming supplemental draft. However, insider Mike DeFabo recently reported that they have no interest in him due to the risk attached.
"According to an article by my colleague Justin Williams, 'The crux of the investigation could be alleged bets [Brendan] Sorsby placed on Indiana football while he was redshirting as a true freshman for the Hoosiers in 2022 — which would be a cardinal sin of NCAA betting guidelines that could result in permanent ineligibility,'" DeFabo said. "If that’s proven to be true, the Steelers would not want to take a risk. I really don’t think they would bid anything and would not want to get involved."
Current Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Brendan Sorsby is under investigation for gambling on college football games as a collegiate athlete. Because of that, there is the potential that his eligibility could be revoked. Of course, the draft has already concluded, but there is a supplemental draft that rarely gets used. If he gets kicked out of college football, he could decide to try and go pro.
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Brendan Sorsby wearing a Texas Tech Red Raiders hat after committing to them via the Transfer Portal.
While the Steelers could definitely use another developmental project in the quarterback room, that risk is way too high for them to take. Maybe if he goes undrafted, they will give him a shot, but using a pick in the supplemental draft is likely not worth it, especially since the FBI could get involved in this. It's not worth burning future capital for a man that may or may not end up facing extremely harsh consequences.
If a team selects a player in the supplemental draft, it costs them that pick for next year. For example, the Steelers could take Sorsby in the fourth round here, but doing so would cost them their fourth-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. With how much Pittsburgh will be looking to hoard picks for that class, giving one up for a man who might not even be in the NFL is not a bright move. Risks need to be taken, but not here.
Steelers Have One Less Prospect To Watch For During 2026 Season
The Steelers will send their scouts to every school that has a quarterback prospect with the slightest bit of upside to see if he's a good fit for them, especially with their first-round pick. In a time where Pittsburgh needs all kinds of options, having one less passer to potentially select is not good at all. They want to win now as opposed to sell off pieces and build for the future exclusively, so they are already expected to miss out on the best prospect.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers General Manager Omar Khan and Owner Art Rooney II on the field at a team practice while having a discussion.
If the Steelers are once again slated around Pick 20 like they are expected to, they will either have to mortgage their future to move up for a quarterback or just pray that a quality option falls right into their laps. With Sorsby likely out of the picture, the odds of that happening get lower and lower. They may have to make a big trade up depending on how well the current batch of quarterbacks do in 2026.
What do you think about the Steelers having no interest in Sorsby? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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