Shane Beamer’s star QB LaNorris Sellers just hit pause on the hype train. This South Carolina standout, who was widely pegged as a surefire 2026 first-rounder, just sent scouts a surprise decision. At 6’3, 240 pounds, he has the frame of a linebacker and the speed of a runner. In his freshman season, he dominated as the SEC Freshman of the Year and FWAA National Freshman Offensive Player of the Year. And his 2,534 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, and 674 yards with seven scores on the ground screamed NFL hype. But not so fast…

CBSSports’ Chris Trapasso dropped a hammer on his X post on July 8. He posted a comparison table of LaNorris Sellers and former Ohio State’s star QB TreVeyon Henderson wherein the Gamecocks QB tallied 141 carries for 852 yards with 26 10+ yard runs with 41.2 MTF % (Missed Tackles Forced) while the Buckeyes star had 145 carries for 1,010 yards and 32 10+ yard runs with 25.5 MTF %. And then, he added, “The South Carolina QB has future NFL MVP talent, but a source told me he doesn’t plan to enter the ’26 draft.” So much for NFL scouts building speculation out of thin air!

A lot of media houses and scouts were already penciling LaNorris Sellers as a potential top-20 pick. Matt Miller of ESPN even had him going No. 16 overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026. After all, he was a true menace on the running game, forcing 47 missed tackles and posting 581 yards after contact. For context, among FBS quarterbacks, it ranked 6th in forced missed tackles and 8th in yards after contact. He even broke double-digit missed tackles twice against Texas A&M and Clemson. 

According to PFF, Sellers boasts the third-highest adjusted completion rate (56.4%) on 20+ yard throws. He also earned 97.5 points in in-game athleticism, where he clocked 15+ mph in 75 plays and 20 mph in two games. In his final six games, he threw 13 touchdowns to just three picks. He had nine turnover-worthy plays, but also nine big-time throws. But here’s where it gets tricky. He has all the tools. Size, athleticism, and speed. And freakish off-platform arm talent. Still, when you dig into the film, you start to see the jagged edges.

LaNorris Sellers gets a surprising 2026 verdict amidst hype 

While many scouts are sold on LaNorris Sellers entering the 2026 NFL Draft, Daniel Kelly is an exception. For him, the Gamecocks QB reminds him of former Florida star Anthony Richardson. Same frame. Same chaos. Same uncoachable gifts. But also, some of the same concerns. Richardson went No. 4 overall in 2023. But the First Round Mock analyst saw a bust in the making and pegged him as a fifth-round pick. And his 59.5% and 47.7% completion marks in the pros haven’t exactly silenced him. 

Kelly sees concerns in LaNorris Sellers’ raw footwork, downfield accuracy inconsistency, and his average time to throw, which is 3.30 seconds. Still, 80% of draft analysts (per NFL Mock Draft Database) had him pegged as a first-rounder. But Kelly’s sticking to the fourth round. But instead of riding that wave or testing uncertain waters, the good news is that he’s coming back to Columbia for more and hopefully smooth out the intangibles. 

South Carolina opens 2025 against Virginia Tech in Atlanta. And if you thought 2024 was the explosion, 2025 might be the takeover.