The Big 12 just lived through a week that hit both ends of the spectrum: a record-setting NBA Draft, a surprising showing in defensive return data, and one more twist in the Brendan Sorsby situation before that whole story finally moved on.
Start with the draft, because that one was historic. In the 2026 NBA Draft, the Big 12 put two players at the top of the board for the first time ever, with the first two picks coming from the conference.
That alone would be enough to make it a banner night, but the league kept piling up numbers. The Big 12 finished with 13 players selected, which set a conference record.
It also led the country, since no other conference had more draft picks.
That kind of night says plenty about the level of talent spread across the league. The case being made here is simple: the Big 12 is the best conference in college basketball, and this draft was the strongest proof yet. The argument goes even further than that, with the idea that every Big 12 team has at least one or two players who are ready to make it at the next level.
On the football side, the usual conversation about Big 12 defenses starts and ends with Texas Tech. That makes sense.
Texas Tech is loaded, and by the source’s account, it had arguably the best defense in college football last season. The expectation is that the Red Raiders should be right back in that mix this year.
But the CBS article on returning defensive production and transfer portal talent added a wrinkle. That piece measured how many players were coming back to a team and how much portal help was built around FBS experience, and it turned up more Big 12 teams than expected near the top.
Oklahoma State, Kansas, and UCF all landed in the top 10 with Texas Tech, and the list kept going from there. Arizona State, Houston, Colorado, and BYU were also among the teams that cracked the top 20.
Then there’s Brendan Sorsby, who somehow kept becoming a topic again and again. Last week, the NFL said it would not hold a supplemental draft.
The CFL also said no. After that, Sorsby decided to turn his focus to recovery and start getting ready for the 2027 NFL Draft.
In his Tuesday statement, he laid out that next step.
For anyone who’s been following that situation, it sounds like the Big 12 can finally stop making room for it.
In Other News...
Texas Tech Faces One Massive Will Hammond Question Entering 2026
Texas Tech already knows Brendan Sorsby is gone, which leaves Will Hammond as the presumptive answer at quarterback heading into 2026. The Red Raiders were counting on that transition to be smooth, because Hammonds profile gives the program a clear direction as it tries to carry momentum into the next season.
The problem is that the direction only matters if he is ready to go. Hammonds knee injury ended his 2025 season, and his status for the start of 2026 is still uncertain, which puts a real hinge point on the Red Raiders outlook. If he is limited or delayed, Texas Techs margin for error narrows fast, and a team with real upside could look very different depending on how its quarterback situation settles. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Is Suddenly Back In A Familiar Portal Backcourt Debate
Mihailo Petrovics entry into the transfer portal has quickly drawn attention from several high-major programs looking for help in the backcourt, and Texas Tech is among the schools reportedly keeping a close eye on the Illinois guard. After a freshman season with limited playing time, Petrovic is being viewed as the kind of depth piece that can give a roster another ball-handler and some insurance across a long season.
For Texas Tech, the question is less about whether Petrovic can help in a general sense and more about how quickly he could carve out a lane with the backcourt additions already in place. That makes the fit a little more complicated than it looks on paper, even as the Red Raiders remain part of a crowded race for a player whose next stop will likely depend as much on opportunity as on interest. [Read more 🡒]
Brendan Sorsby's Football Future Just Took Another Brutal Turn
Brendan Sorsbys path back to football has taken another sharp turn, and it puts the former Texas Tech quarterback in a strange holding pattern after the NCAA permanently ruled him ineligible for college football. His appeal was dismissed, leaving him without a college route while the league has made clear it is not treating his situation like a typical transition to the pros.
Sorsby now says he is focused on preparing for the 2027 NFL Draft, while also acknowledging he is working through the fallout from a gambling problem. The NCAA ruling stemmed from violations that included betting on his own team while at Indiana and other prohibited wagers, and although the NFL says it will not punish him for known prior misconduct, it can still review that conduct if there are future issues. [Read more 🡒]