Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby was the hottest player in the transfer portal from the outset, though the race to sign him ended up coming down to the Red Raiders and LSU.
He met with both schools, though he chose the team that was the odds-on favorite at the outset — inking a reported $5 million NIL deal with Texas Tech to be their starting quarterback for one season.
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His new deal is one of the biggest in the NIL era thus far, rivaling some of the top earners in college football. Sorby was contemplating entering the NFL Draft, but he decided it was better to stay in college for another year, potentially raise his draft stock, and make more money than he would as a Day 2 pick.
In fact, he is making more in one year of college ball than Sanders will make through his rookie NFL deal with the Cleveland Browns.
Sanders is set to make $4.6 million across his rookie deal over the four years, paling in comparison to the college senior’s payday.
Now, the Browns QB was a fifth-round pick in the 2025 draft, meaning that Sorsby, who was graded as a Day 2, would have eclipsed that number in total, though he would not have reached the yearly sum that he is getting.
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Texas Tech is going all-in on the upcoming season, investing millions in football’s premier position and targeting other big-money transfers.
In 2025, the Red Raiders signed multiple players in the portal for over $7 million, including defensive linemen David Bailey, Romello Height, Lee Hunter, Skyler Gill-Howard, and A.J. Holmes Jr.
The defensive front was elite all year, and it was not the reason they lost to Oregon in the Orange Bowl. Their quarterback play led to their downfall, and they are hoping Sorsby can help lead them to a National Championship.
If he does, Sorsby will be well worth the massive investment.
More news: Top Transfer QB Brendan Sorsby Signs With Texas Tech as LSU Misses Out
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