South Carolina has an emerging star in their backfield. His name is LaNorris Sellers, and he has been recognized as the top quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft.
According to a poll of 25 NFL scouts and executives, eight of them chose Sellers as the first quarterback taken in next year's draft. In that poll, quarterback Garret Nussmeier received seven votes, Carson Beck received three, and Drew Allar received only two.
Sellers has started in every game this season; however, he exited early in South Carolina's contest against Vanderbilt in which the Gamecocks suffered a 31-7 loss. Before leaving the game, Sellers was 6 of 7 for 94 yards and an interception, his only one on the season. This season, Sellers has 733 passing yards, four touchdowns, and only one interception.
What separates Sellers from the competition is his impressive athletic ability and being a dual-threat quarterback while standing at 6'3 and weighing 240 pounds. He has a strong arm and can fit passes into tight windows consistently. Although Beck and Nussmeier have more passing yards than him, Sellers is a lot smarter with his decision-making.
Size Advantage
Standing at 6'3 and weighing 240 pounds, Sellers can run through tackles and gain extra yards on scrambles and designed quarterback run plays. He is a great runner and shows a natural ability to run with the football. In the NFL, being able to break tackles separates a good player from a great one. Breaking a tackle could be the difference between a third and short and a first down.
Pocket Presence
Sellers shows extreme confidence while standing in the pocket. He can keep his eyes downfield on pass plays, which allows him not to get caught up in the pass rush and find open guys down the field. His athleticism also allows him to remain accurate while throwing on the run
With his strong arm, he can get the ball downfield with ease, which allows him to create explosive plays. A running quarterback keeps a defense off-balance and generates an almost unstoppable offense.
LaNorris Sellers has shown that he can play at a high level despite the wins or losses. While he is still young, his skill set will improve with time.
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