Renner's scouting series for 2026 NFL Draft: Meet LaNorris Sellers, the most intriguing QB in college football

One of my favorite things to do every week during the college football season is go back and watch the farthest charted throws to get a handle on some of the strongest arms in the college ranks. One throw from Week 1 last fall still sticks in my mind as one of the most beautiful bombs you'll ever see. As you can see below, it was launched nearly 70 yards into the breadbasket of a streaking wide receiver ... only to be dropped.

When I dug more into the South Carolina quarterback capable of such a dime, I found a name I didn't recognize who wasn't even draft eligible. After looking at his stat line for the game -- 10-for-23 passing for 114 yards on 30 dropbacks against Old Dominion -- I figured my time would be better served watching others that week. I didn't flip on his All-22 again all fall.

Now, 10 months later, that same South Carolina quarterback is the single most intriguing signal-caller in the country. His name is LaNorris Sellers, a former three-star recruit who couldn't even land an offer from South Carolina until midway through his senior year and who was never offered from his dream school of North Carolina. 

Don't ask me how because heading into his redshirt sophomore campaign Sellers is the crush of the draft world as the "toolsiest" quarterback in college football. He pairs elite-tier arm strength with tight end size and running back mobility.

The last part of that cannot be overstated. Sellers could switch to running back tomorrow and still be a top 100 pick by the end of his career. His feet and agility at 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds are special. Even compared to his most obvious physical corollary in Anthony Richardson, Sellers stands out with the precision in his cuts and ability to change directions.

According to PFF, Sellers ran for 852 yards last season and broke 47 tackles on 141 rushing attempts (by NFL stat-keeping rules). This isn't a Cameron Ward or Shedeur Sanders, both of whom are "mobile"; Sellers can make house calls if your defensive end crashes to the running back or if your blitzing corner didn't pack his lunch.

That will buy him a lot of leeway as a passer at the next level that his tape says he could use. The building blocks are there and you see flashes of a complete skillset, but one in need of refinement. There are three worrisome trends on tape that we can take in order:

1. Spotty accuracy
2. Hesitant throwing into tight and anticipatory windows
3. Doesn't trust his offensive line enough to carry out progressions

Having brought up Anthony Richardson earlier, I'll start by saying Sellers' accuracy isn't nearly the same level of concern as the Colts quarterback. Sellers has a tendency of missing high on stationary targets and behind on crossers. He also spins it with a somewhat untraditional release that's high and compact. It doesn't have near the aesthetics most accurate quarterbacks possess.

The second one I can easily see getting fixed by experience. He already showed drastic improvement from the first half of 2024 to the second. In Sellers' first six outings last season, he averaged 163 passing yards per game and had only five touchdowns with four picks. In his final six contests, he averaged 260 passing yards per game and 13 passing touchdowns with three picks. Former South Carolina offensive coordinator Dowell Logains raved about the work he put in, and it's shown already.

Even late in the season, however, the hesitancy remained. Now, Sellers' super power is that even when he passes up layups, he can still turn those plays into three-pointers. That strategy, however, gets far more difficult to sustain at the NFL level.

The third one is going to be a thorn for evaluators the rest of his career. It's important to remember, South Carolina is a mid-tier SEC program that's had as many winning seasons as losing seasons the past decade. Sellers winning 9 games last season was a far cry from the five wins Spencer Rattler led them to the year prior. They don't have the offensive line nor skill talent for Sellers to put up Ward or Caleb Williams or Bryce Young numbers to go No. 1 overall. Drastic improvements may show up on film next fall, but not make a serious dent on the stat sheet.

The numbers aren't pretty. Sellers was under pressure on 42.5% of dropbacks -- the fourth-highest figure in all of college football last season. It was very clear at times he had little trust in his line. It was common to see him anticipate having to break the pocket after his first read and get skittish with his feet even when the line did their job across the board. If you're looking for plays of him comfortably working one to two to three or manipulating defenders with his eyes to open up windows, those reps are almost non-existent on tape. 

The one thing that is there, though, is a complete confidence sorting through messy pockets. Sellers' size and footwork reminiscent of his soccer background show up with how calm he is evading pressure. Unfortunately, that calm comes with some obvious downsides on tape. He refuses to give up on plays. So much so that he led the nation in average time to throw at 3.3 seconds. That also led to 31 sacks taken and 10 fumbles on dropback passes when he either didn't feel pressure or was trying to extend the play. That's an untenable fumble rate at the next level for someone with his play style.

All that being said, it's important to remember that Sellers only turned 20 years old on June 23. He has three more years of development at the collegiate level if he so chooses. When watching Sellers' tape, it's hard not to be reminded of talents like Trey Lance and Richardson, both of whom never quite got that time before making the leap to the league. Both lasted only three years in college with Richardson amassing 455 career dropbacks and Lance only 371 (Ward had 2,668 for comparison).

WIth those cautionary tales in tow, the good news is Sellers isn't doomed to suffer the same fate. With reports from The Athletic that Sellers turned down an $8 million NIL offer elsewhere to stay at South Carolina, it's clear he's getting advice from a support system that has his best long-term interests in mind instead of a quick pay day. With the rush to crown the next big thing, let's hope Sellers gets all the time he needs to hit the ground running (and passing) in the NFL.  

Think LaNorris Sellers will end up being the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft? Head on over to DraftKings Sportsbook, where Sellers is being offered at +600 ($10 to win $60).

Previous QB scouting reports: Arch Manning | Garrett Nussmeier 

LaNorris Sellers NFL Draft profile

LaNorris Sellers

SC • QB • #16

6-3, 240 | 20 years old | Redshirt sophomore

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NFL comparison: Vince Young

There's just not many quarterbacks in the history of football who have Sellers' combination of size and agility. It's truly special. He'll be an elite rushing threat at the position in the NFL like Young was. Also like Young, Sellers has a ways to go as a passer.

Accolades

• 2024-25: South Carolina Male Athlete of the Year
• 2024: SEC Freshman of the Year (coaches)
  
• 2024: National Freshman Offensive Player of the Year (FWAA)
  
• 2024: Set program record for most rushing yards by a QB (674)

Strengths

• Incredible agile at his size. So hard to bring down in the pocket.
• Big-time arm. Can really test deep areas of the field.
• Coaches rave about his work ethic and drive to improve.

Weaknesses

• Long, unorthodox release that has led to spotty accuracy.
• Progression speed needs improvement.
• Needs to see it to throw it more often than not.

What scouts are saying about LaNorris Sellers

"NFL scouts view Sellers as a wild-card No. 3 figure in the QB class behind Garrett Nussmeier and Cade Klubnik. Scouts have also heard strong things from the South Carolina staff regarding Sellers and his growth and development this offseason under new Gamecocks offensive coordinator and veteran NFL assistant Mike Shula. 

'Wild card is a good way to put it,' a scout said. 'High highs, low lows. Needs more consistency. … But I'd say it's obvious he's the third QB behind those two (Nussmeier and Klubnik).'" -- Matt Zenitz (national NFL/national college football senior reporter for CBS Sports)

From 3-star recruit to top 3 draft pick? Why South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers is so intriguing to NFL scouts

Matt Zenitz

LaNorris Sellers college stats

Passing

Rushing

LaNorris Sellers 247Sports profile

High school: South Florence (Florence, South Carolina)
Class: 2023
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (88)

• QB: 34 | South Carolina: 7

High school notes: 2022 Florence Morning News Prep Player of the Year after racking up the following statistics as a senior: 2,948 yards, 45 touchdowns and two interceptions as a passer; 1,338 yards and 17 touchdowns as a rusher.

Check out LaNorris Sellers' full 247Sports profile, here.