Since 1977, the Supplemental Draft has been a secondary option for draft-eligible players who had some sort of eligibility issues during their college days.
The Browns have two of the 46 Supplemental Draft picks in history, as they took quarterback Bernie Kosar in the first round of the 1985 Supplemental Draft, and receiver Josh Gordon in the second round of the 2012 Supplemental Draft. Another unique eventual Brown was quarterback/receiver Terrelle Pryor going to the Raiders out of Ohio State in the third round of the 2011 Supplemental Draft.
The NFL will opt against holding a supplementary draft should no players be approved. Dane Brugler of The Athletic reported the NFL will not host a supplemental draft in 2025 for the second straight year, as no players are eligible.
NFL shuts down Supplemental Draft again after not being used since 2019
Per Brugler, the last time the NFL held a supplemental draft was in 2023, when two players entered. None were taken, however, and the last time a player was taken in the Supplemental Draft was safety Jalen Thompson by the Cardinals in 2019.
In recent history, players who have been taken in the Supplemental Draft came mostly because of academic eligibility, NCAA violations, or legal issues. This was the case for Gordon, as he was ineligible for the NFL Draft due to a failed marijuana test. For Pryor, he was ineligible for the NFL Draft due to his NCAA suspension for improper benefits.
Kosar's case was different, as the rules weren't quite the same as they are now. In 1985, players had to be seniors or graduating from college to be eligible for the NFL Draft or Supplementary Draft. Kosar was granted permission to choose which draft he entered, as he forgoed his final two years of college eligibility to go to the NFL. By not submitting his paperwork to get selected by the Vikings, he was able to go to the hometown Browns in the Supplemental Draft.
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These three Supplemental Draft picks will all reign in Browns' history for different reasons. Kosar is third in franchise passing yards and wins among quarterbacks, as he was under center for three AFC Championship appearances. Gordon is a massive what-if as perhaps the most talented receiver in franchise history with his 1,600-yard 2012 that included back-to-back 200-yard games. In Pryor's case, he's an accomplished Buckeye quarterback who registered a 1,000-yard season in a bleak 2016.
With the recent NIL and transfer portal changes in the NCAA, there are far fewer eligibility issues, decreasing the need for the Supplemental Draft. If there is never another one in NFL history, the Browns will have had three unforgettable players from there, including one of their best quarterbacks.