College football recruiting involves complex dynamics where athletic programs must balance talent acquisition with institutional accountability, as demonstrated by Texas Tech's situation with quarterback Brendan Sorsby's NCAA gambling case and Florida's successful recruitment of four-star receiver Elias Pearl, highlighting how NIL deals, player rankings, and institutional relationships influence recruiting outcomes.
Deep Dive
Prerequisite Knowledge
- No data available.
Where to go next
- No data available.
Deep Dive
Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby FILES LAWSUIT To Try And Play Next Season | The Big 3 in 30 CollegeAdded:
Today on the Big 3 in 30, quarterback Brenden Sorsby files a lawsuit to try and play next year. We are the biggest victims in college football running today. Florida lands a four-star wide receiver. The Florida Gators have added another commit to the class. And Florida State gets a commitment at quarterback.
I want to give my two cents on the entirety of the Logan Flarity saga, if you will. This is the Big 3 in 30 college, the three biggest stories on campus from our local experts at the Locked On Podcast Network. We bring you the real story, why it matters, what's next, who wins the big game, and more, all in 30 minutes. The Big 3 in 30 college starts now.
Thank you for making the Big 3 in 30 your first listen of the day, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Download the FanDuel app now by visiting fanduel.com and win $300 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins.
Brenden Sorsby is asking the courts for 2026 eligibility while his NCAA gambling case plays out. Chris Level and Casey Cowan with Locked On Texas Tech take you through it. We're taking a look at the big picture in the world of college football and where Texas Tech fits in.
Is there a case to be made right now that we are the biggest victims in college football running today. A little bit atypical and unnatural as far as the position to be in. I don't subscribe to the victimhood approach in my personal life. I don't feel like you do either, Chris. But as I'm looking at this set of circumstances surrounding the Red Raiders and Brenden Sorsby, I'm thinking about the wise words of Nacho Libre. It sucks to be me right now.
>> [laughter] >> There are things lining up against Texas Tech that you and I have continued to kind of point out and reflect upon that leave Texas Tech in a very unique position among this array of characters.
Whether it's Brenden Sorsby or the NCAA or Indiana or Cincinnati, Texas Tech is in the position right now of de facto defending their student-athlete even though they are not engaged in the litigation that Sorsby versus the NCAA is we've talked about already to this week. But as I look at it from a Red Raider standpoint, what they did or didn't know then when they did know something and the timeliness of knowing that something and what had already been invested by that time.
It is hard for me to not feel like the Red Raiders are in a position of maybe not being victimized but a victim of extreme misfortune. You just almost can't make it up this set of circumstances.
I mean officials have been after the Red Raiders for years. Randy Cristobal I I I remember you, man. I remember you.
I remember you getting all angry and everything when when when when things were were going the Red Raiders way or or whatever. I mean it was just there's a lot of you know, a lot of dynamics there. The schedule makers, I mean Brett Yormark even like putting us on a Friday at home. I mean I mean the this whole thing. So this is all a big conspiracy just aimed at aimed at Texas Tech. Yeah, so we we we play the the victim card or the role well, I should say.
Um Yeah, this this is just either misfortune I think is the what you what you the the the the term that you used that that that's probably very accurately portrayed.
Um because you are I've I've I've said this before, you just look at all the the the tentacles of of said story here.
And look, whoever turned this in and we know it was you, Cincy. We know.
We know. Bang bang. We got Yeah, I mean, we we know. We know. Um Uh whoever turned this in, they they they very clearly wanted Texas Tech to suffer and Brenden Sorsby to suffer, okay?
Um but Indiana, like, with what went on and then, you know, the NCAA is also involved.
Um they can't play the victim because they're just the shadiest organization.
The rules are applied, misapplied all over the place. Their their organization is just is just a house of cards at this point, right? Um and and here old Texas Tech is sitting over here going, "Our money's good.
We'd like to use it on a on a good footballer, and let's do it with no baggage that they were aware of. None."
And then, uh lo and behold, uh after spring football is over and you can't you know, you can't invest in anybody else, you can't go get anybody else, you can't like uh we've been made aware of some some allegations from the last couple of 3 years.
Um and and and I've said this before, too, but like, you we're not even talking about Brenden Sorsby if if Will Hammond doesn't get hurt.
But but Will Hammond did get hurt, and it was a significant injury. And so, you wanted to really add to the position to where there there was you're not taking a chance. Like, you already know the answer. Spoiler, he's good, okay? So, you already you you you had you had surveyed the landscape, you had chosen, um and no, you didn't know it. People are like, "How could they have not known that he Nobody knew. Nobody.
And anybody suggesting otherwise is just like you have an agenda. Um Uh cuz there's a lot of opinions out there on this thing. There's a lot of click bait click bait going on. There's a lot of people trying to trying to misinform everybody. Nobody knew anything. And and I'll just say this, too.
Um nobody's opinion matters except for Judge Hayes's. Okay. Anyways, uh I digress. So, um yeah, victim, man. I mean, like you you're you're you're stand to lose the most of anybody. And some would argue that Brendan Soursby personally could stand to lose a lot, but he he knowingly participated in said activity. You're over here off to the side and you just don't, you know, you you you just had no idea. So, it uh this whole thing could could really suck or and then you're telling me if they do find that he's ineligible, but wait a second. He participated on multiple football teams and played in some of these games or was on an active roster or some of these games. And then there's no there's nothing going on there. Like there's no consequences suffered there. Like it it's That's why I say Texas Tech could be the biggest victim of this whole deal. To which Cowan preaching it from the mountaintop and he's willing to die on this hill, folks. We are the victim.
>> [laughter] >> I cringe to even say the word out loud because some people craft an entire identity and personality around that word these days and they're some of the most pathetic members of our society. So, I just cringe to even consider the thought of being a victim in any way, shape, or form. I'm willing to pose the question and you guys can let us know out there, but that's why I give myself an out and basically just describing it as several very unlucky rolls. Well, I give myself an out and basically just describing it as several very unlucky rolls. And we know unlucky rolls, all right? That kind of comes with the game, too. I don't necessarily bemoan some uniquely unlucky fortune or fate that's befallen the Red Raiders, but you just can't make this kind of stuff up. And if you're going to be a victim, someone has to have victimized you, and I'm kind of looking around thinking, all right, well, who is that? Well, when we talk about nobody knowing, we're excluding one person that definitely knew, and that was Brendan Sorsby. So, if there was some >> In Cincinnati. Possibly Cincinnati, although they owed us nothing as compared to the player. But if there was concealing of this information at that point in time, then there's one person to point to. But victim or not, incredibly incredibly unfortunate to be in the position, Chris, of having to go to bat, and you didn't have to, but of going to bat for someone who has taken so many PR flames and arrows, and justifiably so in many ways, they will continue to come. But competitively speaking, you were invested to a degree that you feel like you want to, as we've said over and over, run this ground ball out while you have so far engaged in nothing that should actually require you to have any interest in what's going on in a courtroom with the NCAA, but here we are. Agree or disagree, lobo matus in the YouTube comments, or fire us a text if you're in the Matador mob. Can we play the role accurately, justifiably, of the biggest victim in college football in May of 2026? I think it's possible. There's an argument to be made. We've been playing this role for 30, 40 years.
I mean, everybody's always about always out to get the Red Raiders.
Right? I mean, there's just no doubt.
And your favorite team out there, too.
They're just all victims, everybody.
Everybody's team is hated by everyone.
But but but last thing I'll say is, all kidding aside, this this is uh it has put you in a fairly large pickle, potentially, to to which a lot of times it's your own fault and anybody going well it is your own fault you should have known now shut up I'm not talking to you you have an agenda that person but but to no fault of your own this this just weird dynamic of of of things and you could suffer the the the biggest cons the biggest consequence and that's that sucks man that's like that's not cool um and that's you know call it unfair or whatever and and um but uh it just you know and and for for whoever turned them in I mean karma's undefeated man karma's undefeated so you know you you you you you may think ah well I didn't do anything wrong I'm just a whistleblower no you're going to choke on that whistle at some point and then every time you talk we're going to hear we're going to hear these these uh >> [laughter] >> We do live in the era of the hall monitor though so that person may be the next governor of whatever state they live in I I don't know but enjoy it while you can hopefully we're coming out of it.
The NBA playoffs are here and every possession matters. If you're looking to get even closer to the action FanDuel has a great offer to get you started.
Right now new customers can bet $5 and get 150 in bonus bets if your first bet wins. That's right turn five bucks into 150 in bonus bets just for getting started. I like using FanDuel during the playoffs because everything I need is right there in one place. You can check stats trends and match-ups before making your picks which makes the whole experience feel a lot more informed.
It's a really easy app to navigate and it makes playoff basketball even more engaging from start to finish. Head to fanduel.com to get started. FanDuel, play your game.
Welcome back to the Big Three in 30 College. Florida added four-star receiver Elias Pearl to its 2027 class, keeping another in-state playmaker at home. Brandon Olson with Locked On Gators walks through the pickup. The Florida Gators have added another commit to the class. This time it's four-star wide receiver Elias Pearl out of Port Charlotte, which we're going to talk a bunch about him. Most notably, that he is the player that when Devin Davidson committed to the Florida Gators, everybody went, "Hey, Devin, who are who are you who are you recruiting to the Gators?
Who who's who's the target that you're looking for?"
And every single time, very consistently, Devin went, "Well, Elias Pearl.
I mean, that's who I'm looking for.
It's It's Elias Pearl.
He He's the guy that I'm looking for."
And so, love to see you actually, by the way, land the commitment to this point, but Elias Pearl, 5'11, 183 lbs, four-star receiver on Rivals, number 55 in the country, is in the 55th best player in the country according to Rivals, ninth receiver in the country, fourth player in the state of Florida.
On 24/7, he is a four-star wide receiver, 112th player in the country, 14th wide receiver in the country, 13th player in the state of Florida, and a four-star on ESPN, 178th nationally, 25th wide receiver in the country, 20th player in the state of Florida, and the Florida Gators are once again getting closer to that top recruiting class, which by the way, I don't think they're ever going to get to. Um but I'm going to have fun as they challenge for it or if they do get there, I don't think they're going to stay there.
Um partially just because well, I don't think that uh that that floor is going to outbid some of those teams at the very top. Uh and and that's just something that we got to that we got to take into account, right?
Um but the Florida Gators adding Elijah Pearl is big and again, this is again the the player that uh Devin Davidson was talking about so much as wanting to pursue.
And it's easy to see why Devin Davidson like if I were a quarterback, I'd go, "You know what?
Yeah, that's the kind of guy that I want on my team." Again, times by by Rivals verification. Again, I'm not entirely sure if those are uh like like laser time for everything, but hand size 9.3 in, broad jump 117.5 in, 20-yard shuttle 4.3 seconds, which pretty dang solid if if that's actually like a 4-3 flat. Uh vertical of 32.4, 40 of 4-5, uh and a wingspan of 77.8, which the wingspan does not shock me at all because he looks like like he he looks taller than I I think he's 5' 10" more so than 5' 11", but like he looks like he's got really long arms.
Um And and so, I think that when you look at that athletic profile, that's all all those numbers are all right, good quality player. Like like all those numbers are are quality athlete numbers at receiver. Even the 4-5 40, like I know that there's a bunch of people that are like, "Oh, 4-5."
Like there I'm sorry. Let me Let me backtrack for a second. There's a bunch of people who like to talk about things that they know nothing about that go, "Oh, 4-5."
That's a gross 40. That's a bad 40.
That's a slow 40. No, that hell it's not. Not even in the NFL is that a bad 40. Not a good one, but it ain't a bad one.
Um and well, he's in high school. So, that 40 is going to get better, but I I think that, you know, he's he's a good athlete overall.
Decent size. The thing that I've talked about before is that I I like his route running ability. I like he's I like his technique. I have always been very open about uh how I feel about receivers and and just high school players that have solid technique in high school. I think that's really important to have. Uh and and Elias Ruel has that at receiver.
Also, Florida landed him over Florida over over Florida. It was Florida, Ole Miss that were the main two. Uh and I'm going to include Florida landing him over Florida State because I do know that there were quite a few Florida State fans that on on social media and on like like message boards and whatnot um that went, "Oh, well, we got we've got his quarterback." The Port Charlotte quarterback committed to Florida State.
And so, now we're going to get him. Um relationships matter. It's not just who you played with and and Devin Davidson pretty clearly pretty publicly had a very good relationship with Elias Ruel.
Sometimes that might matter, especially when I'm going, "Well, do I want to play for Mike Norvell for a year before he gets fired?"
Um or do I want to play for John Sumrall for a bit with a quarterback that I know and trust and that, well, frankly, I think is actually an SEC caliber quarterback or a power four caliber quarterback.
Elias Ruel is a Florida Gator. And when you cut on his film, well, first off, you're going to have a good bit of fun, right? Um bunch of big plays in there.
Again, I think he's a good athlete, not an amazing athlete, but a good one.
Um I think for college he's he's going to be a pretty damn good athlete.
Uh but that's not the most impressive part to me. And also, by the way, the the like I've talked about like I I like technique. I like that he has a release package. It's It's the one of my favorite things about uh Anthony Speedy Jennings is having a release package. I like how Elias Pearl, I think it's it might genuinely be his first play on film where he runs that little like stutter and then gets to the outside and wins with acceleration. And like I I like seeing stuff like that. Where it doesn't just look like a receiver is coming out of his stance and just like upper body while while the while the lower body I don't know how to describe it. While the upper body or or while the lower body just like slows down a little bit.
Like there's actually technique to these things. It's not just like, "Oh, I'll chop your feet and then do a little shimmy shake."
Like no, you got to actually run with actual technique there. Uh and I think that Elias Pearl does that out of his release.
An impressive release package.
Also not my favorite thing about his game because my favorite thing about his game is contact balance.
Uh I think contact balance is a massive plus at every position.
Honestly, a necessity at just about every position that's going to need to carry the ball.
It can't be someone that it's like, "Oh, well, they reach their arm out, got their got one hand on your hip and then you're you're dropping cuz of that."
It can't be that. You watch Elias Pearl's film and you're going to watch him run through arm tackles. You're going to watch him get wrapped up and still keep going until they fall off of him. I I think that ability is huge and and and very impressive to me.
I like how Elias Pearl tracks the ball in the air. That's the thing that I spoke about with Justin Williams and I think that's the thing Justin Williams is really good. And frankly, Elias Pearl is is I think a a really good uh a a a really good receiver prospect.
Again, I think for college, he's a great athlete.
I think on film, he's got that contact balance. I think he's got ball tracking skills. I think he's a a pretty decent route runner. I I again, I think he's got a better release package than just pure route running ability. Um but even then, like Corey high school player, I like the route running.
Like Elias Pearl, I think is is a great recruit right now.
I think yeah, sure, four-star, whatever.
Um I think ESPN is wrong by saying that there's 177 players better than him.
I'll say that, but I think he's a great receiver. I think him with Devin Davidson, someone that'll get the ball to him vertically, assuming that that I'm always going to just make the assumption that the quarterback in the class is the guy that they're pitching to say, "Hey, that's going to be your quarterback." Um I get why you'd go, "Well, that's a fun quarterback to have throwing the football to me, right?" Uh and so Elias Pearl probably loves having that, but I I think skill set-wise, I could view him as a kick return, punt returner as well, which he did do in high school. I think I think the first play of his uh might be actually the first play of his film might actually be a punt return, um or maybe second play, something like that. Uh is return ability. And so I think that there's a reason that you put a guy like that there, right? Um again, he he is someone that contact balance, change of direction, it's like he's a good athlete. He's not just someone that tested well. He's a good athlete when you watch him play the Florida Gators, that's what they're looking for a receiver. You're going, "Hey, get me athletes. Let me get someone that can just get him the football in space and let him make plays." That's what Elias Pearl does.
That's what this That's what this 2027 recruiting class is adding at receiver.
And Elias Pearl fits that to an absolute T. Welcome back to the Big 3 in 30 College. Florida State landed 2027 quarterback Logan Flaherty, adding a Port Charlotte passer with Seminole ties. Brian Smith with Locked On Seminoles gets into the commitment. I want to give my two cents on the entirety of the Logan Flaherty saga, if you will. I don't know if it's quite that, but it seems that way for a guy like me that covers Florida State so closely. So, here it goes. 6'2", 200 lb, somewhere in that range. Athlete.
Can move the pocket, make throws on the run, will go out and get you some yardage with his feet. But most importantly, and this never ever goes out of style with quarterbacks, he's accurate. When he's under duress, he can still make throws. Does he still need to work on footwork? Does he still need to work on eye discipline? Does he still need to get stronger, faster, and all those things?
Of course to all of them.
But for a young man that plays at Port Charlotte High School down in Florida, solid competition, not elite by any stretch in terms of their regular season most years, this is a guy that's done pretty well.
He's got Lavar Pearl on his team, who they just committed to Florida, the wide receiver.
But that's not a loaded roster by any stretch. That's a program that's traditionally just very average. He has helped to rise up not only for himself, but for Lavar Pearl, that coaching staff, that community. I think it's awesome.
He could have transferred to a lot of other schools, and he stuck around and stayed at Port Charlotte. So, loyalty gives him a little bit of credit in my book, because there's no way a lot of kids in his same position, they'd have been at IMG, or they would have been transferred to one of the Miami schools, or Orlando, whatever it may be.
They would have moved on.
He didn't.
And on top of that, he was pretty good in those big games that they had a chance to play. So, I like him a lot, and I think he's has a chance to one day be Florida State's starting quarterback, even if Norvell's not there.
Maybe this is the most important part.
He could fit into any modern spread, whether it's more passing, more running, or a little bit of both, which seems to be the common trend. Wogan Flannery will fit that. I don't care about his ranking. He's underrated right now. And again, I get it.
Plays at Port Charlotte. That makes it insanely difficult to grade him.
But, quarterbacks are hard to grade in general anyway. Now, what does Wogan Flannery do for Florida State in terms of the big picture?
Let's look at the current quarterback.
And then we'll get into the possible ramifications of Wogan Flannery being committed to the Florida State Seminoles.
Number one, Jayden O'Neal came in last year. You got Kevin Sperry the year before. You also have Malachi Marshall enrolling in the summer. I think he has sophomore eligibility this year.
The JUCO thing is a little confusing.
I'll I'll wait for Florida State to announce that after Marshall's in school, but Florida State's in a pretty good spot with their quarterback room.
They've Norvell or not.
They're in a pretty good spot. You've got a guy in every class.
But, that brings up a few questions. So, here we go.
Number one, how much NIL did they have to give him?
And when I say that, there's two parts to it. And this is very convoluted, and it's unavoidable.
Number one, how much upfront money is he getting? I know that's touchy. It's his business and all that. But, as fans, and as somebody that covers Florida State, that is paramount information to find out, or at least get an idea.
Because you have to grade whether or not they're going overboard for a recruit.
There's no nice way to say that.
I hate judging teenagers and stuff, but that's really what it comes down to.
I'll give you an example. Non-Florida State situation here. Key, again, this is I'm not going to name the player.
I'm not going to name the school, but it is not, repeat, not Florida State.
There's a recent commitment. I flat-out know even the school even the school knew they bold face over recruited in terms of the NIL dollars to get this kid because they needed some juice. They haven't been recruiting as well.
Florida State's kind of in that boat.
But what did they give Flaherty? A kid that's probably going to ride the pine for a couple of years.
I don't mind if they if you're going to do a quarterback, I I get it. You until you get quarterback right, you're it's like the NFL, you have no shot to really rise up beyond seven or eight wins. You just don't.
It is about quarterbacks making completed passes to get you to that next elite level.
I think Flaherty could be that guy somewhere down the road.
But how much did they spend? I'd I love to find that out sometime between now and signing day, get some information on it because even if he is really good, I'm very high on Logan Flaherty.
He just with guys sitting the bench, man, you just can't spend much money.
Especially when you're strapped financially anyway, despite what certain people in the administration say, we all know who I'm talking about.
Florida State is not exactly having the coffers overflowing with the gold, if you know what I mean. So, I hope that Flaherty is as good as I think, and I also really wish that he didn't get too much I mean, good for him whatever he got, but Florida State didn't have to delve into the deep pockets to get it get it done. So, anyway, congrats to everybody that's involved with the recruitment, and the quarterback coach, Florida State back office, all that. They were behind Rutgers, which is terrible. Regardless, they got him, but they did get him to commit.
I'm curious to see what's next with that, and that brings up this question.
Quarterbacks often times will spark the interest of other players. Oh, you got that kid.
They seen him playing seven on seven, maybe they played him on a Friday night.
They heard about him on this podcast, whatever.
When quarterbacks commit at the P4 level, it is almost always a domino effect.
Albeit very rarely in a public sense.
Here's what I mean.
Recruits talk in very small circles.
Very small.
They know what's going on with their recruitment and several other bodies around the country that are similar level players.
While we try to know that as recruiting analysts and talk to people all over the place, this stuff changes all the time.
To that end, getting Flortie could possibly get a few you know, maybe a tight end, a receiver, an offensive tackle or something.
Not just to take the visit to Florida State, but to escalate where Florida State is in the process with that young man because hey, I want to play with this kid.
Now, Flortie doesn't have the fanfare of some other players, but I'm showing you the film kind of makes it easy to see.
I'd love to see him on a team that had far, far more talent cuz they're good and they're well coached, but they don't have like an offensive line that's got three guys going to major D1 programs like, you know, a modern day, a Duncan Bell, you know, even a Jones or some of those schools in Florida that are tradition rich, some of the public schools of Lakeland.
But they did a lot last year.
I have a feeling that Wogan Flortie's going to have some cachet behind his name.
You may see a running back visit, you may see a couple more offensive lineman, whatever it may be. He's going to pay dividends. Another thing that I want to talk about just as it relates not just with Wogan, but with recruiting. Just two questions that are the reverse of each other.
Florida State is not in a great spot. I believe they're at seven commitments right now.
By July 10th, which is the dead period in almost, not all, but almost every recruit that's worth his salt has a quote unquote commitment date. It's either public or eventually will between now and July 10th.
How many commitments will the Noles have at that time? They're at seven right now at the top of my head.
If they're at seven how many will they be at July 10th?
What do we ask in two months from now?
I'm going to say 15.
That's kind of my guess and that wouldn't be a bad spot to be in in terms of numbers.
But we'll see. My bigger concern is the following answer to this question with the caveat on top of it.
How many decommitments between now and that time frame as well?
McKai Williams, Demark Foreman, or anybody else that decommits, that would be a problem. They've got some good players in the class.
The alignment situation is obviously not playing out the way it needs to, but the young men that have committed to the Noles, they're all good.
They're all good.
How many stick with the class? And then finally with that does the class just implode in the season for the obvious reason? I don't think it's going to go very well and from reading your posts on Locked On Seminoles YouTube page I don't think many of you believe that it's going to go very well either.
That's all for today's Big 3 in 30 College. If you follow pro basketball or football, the Big 3 in 30 has shows for the biggest news in the NBA and NFL going up every weekday just like this one. Just search the Big 3 in 30 NBA or the Big 3 in 30 NFL wherever you're listening or watching now. Thanks again for tuning in to the Big 3 in 30 College.
Related Videos
VALORANT's Latest 'Exclusive' Tier Bundle is Rough...
KangaValorant
17K views•2026-05-28
Flight Attendant Mocks Poor Looking Black Woman — Mid Air Announcement Exposes Her Real Power
SkyboundStories-b4r
184 views•2026-05-28
I FIXED My Friend’s Blown Turbo RX-8… Then Sold It
Cameron-RX8
134 views•2026-05-28
NewsWatch 12 at 5: Top Stories
NewsWatch12
1K views•2026-05-28
Simon Jordan & Danny Murphy deliver PREDICTIONS for Arsenal's Champions League FINAL with PSG
talkSPORTArsenal
6K views•2026-05-28
Botting is OUT OF CONTROL in Classic WoW (Again)...
SolheimGaming
108 views•2026-05-28
The "AI Job Apocalypse" is CANCELLED!
WesRoth
9K views•2026-05-28
STREET FIGHTER 6 - INGRID Story Walkthrough @ 4K 60ᶠᵖˢ ✔
RajmanGamingHD
12K views•2026-05-28











