Since 1977, the NFL has had the ability to run two different drafts every single year. There’s the NFL Draft, the one everyone knows — the one that saw the Las Vegas Raiders select quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the top overall pick.
And then there’s the NFL supplemental draft, which is far less known. Sure, some NFL fans have likely heard about it, but even elite ball-knowers might struggle to fully explain how it works.
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Well, worry no more, because Yahoo Sports is here to help. With the 2026 NFL supplemental draft fast approaching, here’s everything you need to know about the event.
What is the NFL supplemental draft?
The NFL supplemental draft is a secondary draft held each year that includes players who — for whatever reason — lost their college eligibility after the deadline to enter the regular NFL Draft. Those players were maybe caught up in some of the transfer drama or faced legal or academic issues during the year that preclude them from their remaining NCAA eligibility.
When is the NFL supplemental draft?
The NFL supplemental draft does not have an exact date, but it usually occurs over the summer, often months after the NFL Draft takes place.
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How does the NFL supplemental draft work?
In order for a player to be eligible for the supplemental draft, they need to apply for eligibility and have their eligibility approved by the NFL. If there are players eligible for a supplemental draft, the NFL holds it that year. If no players are eligible for the supplemental draft in a given year, the league does not hold a supplemental draft.
NFL supplemental draft order
In the instance where players are eligible, NFL teams are sorted into tiers to determine the supplemental draft order. Teams with six or fewer wins make up one category, the non-playoff teams make up the second and the playoff teams make up the third.
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The NFL then uses a lottery system to order those teams within their tiers, so the teams with the worst records — like the regular NFL Draft — would have the best odds at picking near the top of the supplemental draft.
Once the draft order is determined, teams can bid future draft picks if they want to select a player. For example, if the Cleveland Browns wanted to pick a player in the 2026 supplemental draft, they could bid a 2027 second-round pick on that player. If they win that particular player, the Browns would receive his draft rights, but forfeit their second-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. In the instance where two teams submit the same bid on the same player, the team with the better draft order would win that player’s services.
How many players have been taken in the NFL supplemental draft?
There’s a reason even the most elite ball-knowers don’t know much about the supplemental draft. Since it was first put into effect back in 1977, only 46 players have been picked in the supplemental draft.
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The last player to be selected in the supplemental draft came back in 2019, when the Arizona Cardinals used a fifth-round pick to take safety Jalen Thompson that year.
Some of the players selected in the supplemental draft wind up doing very little in the NFL. Others have become Pro Football Hall of Famers.
Notable players selected in the NFL supplemental draft
One Hall of Famer and seven Pro Bowlers started their NFL careers as supplemental draft picks. Cris Carter is the lone Hall of Famer to come out of the supplemental draft. He was ineligible for the regular NFL Draft after prematurely signing with an agent. He was picked up in the supplemental draft in 1987 by the Philadelphia Eagles for a fourth-round pick.
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The following players all reached the Pro Bowl at least once in their careers after coming out of the supplemental draft:
• Bernie Kosar, Cleveland Browns quarterback, first-round pick
• Bobby Humphrey, Denver Broncos running back, first-round pick
• Rob Moore, New York Jets wide receiver, first-round pick
• Mike Wahle, Green Bay Packers offensive lineman, second-round pick
• Jamal Williams, San Diego Chargers nose tackle, second-round pick
• Ahmad Brooks, Cincinnati Bengals linebacker, third-round pick
• Josh Gordon, Cleveland Browns wide receiver, second-round pick
There is a pretty significant exception to the above list. In 1984, the NFL held a special supplemental draft for players who had already signed with USFL or CFL teams. Three future Hall of Famers came out of that class, including Steve Young, Reggie White and Gary Zimmerman. Ten other players taken in that 1984 supplemental draft went on to make the Pro Bowl during their NFL careers.
Is Brendan Sorsby eligible for the 2026 NFL supplemental draft?
For a while, it was complicated.
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In early June, Sorsby had not applied for eligibility for the 2026 NFL supplemental draft. His college eligibility was in limbo after Sorsby was found to have gambled on college football games.
Shortly after the 2026 NFL Draft, Sorsby was deemed ineligible during the 2026 college football season. But that changed in June, as Sorsby was granted an injunction, allowing him to play for Texas Tech in 2026.
With the situation very up in the air thanks to an NCAA appeal, Sorsby reportedly decided to apply for the supplemental draft on Monday, June 15.
The NFL reportedly set a deadline of June 22 for players hoping to apply for eligibility in the 2026 supplemental draft, so Sorsby made his decision a few days before the deadline.
