A strong 2024 finish with six straight wins. Shane Beamer thought South Carolina was going ahead only to find they were snubbed from the playoffs. But the 2025 season offers them a clean slate for revenge with an undeniable X factor in LaNorris Sellers. The redshirt sophomore, now the unquestioned QB1, turned heads last season with his cannon arm and speedy legs. No wonder he’s entering this season as one of the most hyped SEC QBs. But for every headline he grabs, there’s a quieter story brewing on the other side of the football. 

This could be one of the biggest factors that could define Shane Beamer’s season in 2025. In a new episode on Jox 94.5, Gamecock Central’s Wes Mitchell didn’t sugarcoat South Carolina’s concern. “To me, if you’re really going to like focus in and dial in on a spot that you say is still a question, it’s those defensive tackles,” he said. Why? Because a lot of familiar faces are gone. TJ Sanders, Alex Boogie Huntley, Tonka Hemingway, and DeAndre Jules, all defensive leaders, are gone. As the insider noted, “Those guys did so much for so long for South Carolina that I think, I definitely think there’s going to be a little step back there.” Obviously, it’s a step back because last year’s front was havoc in shoulder pads. 

South Carolina ranked sixth in the nation in sacks, top-30 in tackles for loss, and powered by a rotation that could switch without losing a step. That rotation is gone. South Carolina’s defensive tackle room graduated with 1,505 snaps. Most of it is experience you simply can’t replicate overnight. Monkell Goodwine and Nick Barrett, the only scholarship returners inside, have a combined 245 snaps. The equivalent of a couple of long games. The Gamecocks also lost their pass-rush maestro Kyle Kennard to the NFL Draft. Then saw spring claim Jaylen Brown to injury while Wendell Gregory hit the transfer portal. 

Back in April, Shane Beamer admitted what every fan was thinking. “I wouldn’t say we’re in a good spot,” he said. “I don’t feel great about the position right now, not the talent in the room, but just the depth in the room. We were already a little bit thin to begin with before spring practice.” That’s where freshman All-American Dylan Stewart comes in. One of the most feared young edge rushers in the sport. He gives South Carolina at least one game-wrecker on the outside. But his success often comes from the chaos created inside. Chaos that now falls on unproven hands. But the offense still looks great, especially the QB.

Is LaNorris Sellers an undisputed lock for the NFL draft?

The SEC hasn’t had a team in the national championship game in two years. Thanks in part to a QB drop-off that saw zero All-Americans and zero Heisman votes for the position in 2024. But 2025 is shaping up differently. The league’s top contenders are all rolling with QBs they recruited and developed in-house. And perhaps, among the top spot contenders is LaNorris Sellers. 

At +1700 Heisman odds, the 6’3, 242-pound dual-threat brings both raw tools and a polished game. In 2024, as a 19-year-old first-year starter, LaNorris Sellers threw for 2,534 yards and 18 touchdowns against just seven picks while rushing for 674 yards and seven more scores. His 65.6% completion rate shows growth. Scouts also love his pocket presence as much as his ability to turn the corner and torch a defense.

NFL evaluators already have him on their short list of top prospects. Both CBS Sports and ESPN have LaNorris Sellers as the No. 1 QB prospect in the 2026 NFL draft. But the Heisman path is about moments. Win at LSU, beat Alabama, survive Clemson, and his ceiling could soar. South Carolina opens with Virginia Tech under the lights. The kind of game where he can set the tone early. For Shane Beamer’s squad, the mission is clear. Keep the QB upright, keep the defensive line intact, and keep the dream alive past October.