After a breakout 2024 campaign that turned heads across the SEC and the nation, South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers is entering the 2025 season as one of college football’s most talked-about stars. Once an under-the-radar three-star recruit, Sellers has rapidly ascended to the top tier of the sport, and his meteoric rise is now being recognized in major preseason rankings.
According to 247Sports’ Brad Crawford, Sellers is currently ranked as the fifth-best quarterback in all of college football heading into the 2025 season. He trails only Cade Klubnik (Clemson), Garrett Nussmeier (LSU), Arch Manning (Texas), and Sam Leavitt (Michigan State) in the rankings—an elite group that underscores Sellers’ remarkable development.
Crawford praised Sellers for his dramatic improvement over the course of his redshirt freshman season, stating:
“There was no greater progression than what redshirt freshman LaNorris Sellers showed from the first half of the season to the second. Over his final six starts of the regular season, Sellers helped South Carolina go 6-0 with 1,917 yards of total offense and 17 touchdowns. Prolific on third down with his legs and proficient against pressure, Sellers was the SEC’s hottest player in November.”
That six-game stretch cemented Sellers as not just South Carolina’s quarterback of the future, but a legitimate national star. His ability to create plays with both his arm and his legs made him nearly impossible to defend down the stretch, and his late-season dominance put the Gamecocks within striking distance of their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance.
Sellers’ surge in production also coincided with the arrival of veteran offensive coordinator Mike Shula, who is back for his second year in Columbia. Shula’s experience working with quarterbacks at the collegiate and NFL level proved invaluable, and his partnership with Sellers has unlocked one of the most versatile and dangerous offensive threats in the country.
Heading into 2025, expectations are sky-high for both Sellers and South Carolina. Not only is he considered a top-five quarterback in the nation, but there are already whispers about his potential to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. His rare combination of size, speed, arm strength, and football IQ has NFL scouts watching closely.
Sellers’ story is one of grit and growth. From a relatively modest recruiting profile to becoming the face of a rising SEC program, he embodies the kind of player development that every coach dreams of. Now with a full offseason to build on his success and another year in Shula’s system, Sellers is poised to take an even bigger leap.
If he can replicate—or even elevate—his late-season magic from 2024, LaNorris Sellers could not only lead the Gamecocks to playoff contention but also solidify himself as one of the top quarterback prospects in the nation.
