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As Brendan Sorsby fought to play one more year of college football, the NFL lingered as a type of get-out-of-jail-free card.
While Sorsby faced NCAA punishment for gambling violations, the narrative around him was that he could simply decide to enter the NFL's supplemental draft and put the gambling saga behind him.
The NFL may have something to say, though. Sorsby's gambling violations occurred at the collegiate level, but the league could still look into the situation for potential discipline.
Here's a look at how the precedent set by Kayshon Boutte and Hunter Dekkers could determine Sorsby's NFL fate.
MORE: The fallout from Brendan Sorsby saga as QB leaves Texas Tech
Will Brendan Sorsby play in the NFL?
Because Terrelle Pryor received a five-game suspension from the NFL after entering through the supplemental draft in 2011 while facing NCAA punishment, it's fair to wonder whether the NFL will try to impose a suspension similar to the NCAA's against Sorsby.
It is rare for the NFL to impose punishments on players for infractions committed before entering the league. The league's decision not to punish Patriots WR Kayshon Boutte, who faced charges over illegal gambling and openly admitted he had an addiction while in college, is the best evidence that Sorsby may be able to enter the NFL with a clean slate.
The Boutte situation had a crucial difference compared to Sorsby, however. Here's what you need to know.
MORE: Why Brendan Sorsby and Texas Tech parted ways
Kayson Boutte gambling history
Boutte was not suspended by the NFL after facing charges for underage gambling while at LSU. However, the revelations about his gambling violations didn't come to light until he was already playing in the NFL. The league knows about Boutte's violations as he enters the NFL, which could change the equation when it comes to deciding whether to discipline him.
Boutte placed nearly 9,000 bets while at LSU, according to Louisiana State Police, including at least six bets on his own team. Charges for underage gambling were ultimately dismissed, and the NFL didn't pursue any discipline against Boutte, who had already started his career with the Patriots at the time.
MORE: How Brendan Sorsby's supplemental draft process will work
Hunter Dekkers gambling history
While perhaps an unfamiliar name for most fans, Hunter Dekkers could be the best evidence that Sorsby might not face any discipline from the NFL.
Dekkers, a former Iowa State quarterback, pled guilty to underage gambling after placing hundreds of bets while under 21, including a bet on his own team in a game in which he didn't play. After a year at the community college level, Dekkers declared for the NFL Draft in 2025, did not face an NFL suspension and spent the offseason with the Saints after going undrafted.
The key difference, however, is that 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 NFL may see Sorsby as someone who didn't serve his sentence at the collegiate level and now must serve a suspension after the NCAA tried to keep him off the field in 2026.
If Sorsby does face NFL discipline, the cases of Boutte and Dekkers are certainly two he would lean on in the event of an appeal.
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