There is a good and a bad side to every story. Right now, the hot topic of discussion in the college football landscape is NIL. Courtesy? Of course goes to the quarterback, Nico Iamaleava, and his fuss with Josh Heupel’s Tennessee. While Iamaleava was looking to fatten his fortune, the head coach refused to give in to his plan, and the result led to the player transferring to UCLA. However, there is also a good side to the story.

Here, the main character is South Carolina Gamecocks’ quarterback star, LaNorris Sellers. He is only 19 years old, but so what? Sellers is already climbing the NIL ladder and holds a valuation of $3.7 million. Meanwhile, his recent NIL deal has indeed been a special one. After all, through this, Shane Beamer‘s quarterback is able to give back to society and carry on with his philanthropic efforts. 

Right now, the NIL front came with some head-turning updates. While former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck was believed to fly off to the NFL, he returned to football, landing in Mario Cristobal’s Miami. As per the reports, “true” number Beck is getting from Miami’s NIL collective is “a little over” $3 million. Just a head-up, the figure is nearly twice the $1.6 million Heisman Trophy finalist Cam Ward earned through Miami’s collective. Then, Tulane transfer quarterback Darian Mensah rose to the spotlight as he locked in a $4 million per year deal (8 million over two years) with Duke. Given Sellers’ good resume, having thrown 2,534 yards and 18 touchdowns last season, it was obvious that he, too, would have gotten a raise in his fortunes.

On that note, On3’s Pete Nakos came with a reality check. He quoted an SEC collective insider, “LaNorris Sellers at South Carolina could have been over $3 million easily if he had gone in.” But that’s Sellers; to him, loyalty is above all. So, instead of testing the waters, he re-signed with South Carolina’s Garnet Trust. While he proved his loyalty to Beamer’s squad, it was time for the quarterback to give back to society. While his preparations to run it back for Year 2 as the Gamecocks’ starting quarterback are on, Sellers inked a partnership with Collegiate Legends. So what’s the deal all about? The quarterback will receive a custom action figure. The figurine that shows him clad in South Carolina’s No.16 jersey comes with a set of pigskins and different hand gestures. 

They will be up for sale exclusively at Gamecock Traditions both in-store and online. For pre-order portal has opened, where the price is kept at $99.99. Here, Sellers steps in and will gift the action figures to a group of local children. Before the South Carolina quarterback, Jaylen Mbakwe, and Malachi Moore were part of the deal. But the president of Collegiate Legends, Holly Tanory, has been touched by Sellers’ heartfelt gesture. He shared, “Partnering with Gamecock Traditions allows us to connect with one of the most passionate fanbases in college sports and deliver something truly meaningful for collectors, young fans, and alumni alike.”

Other than this, the Gamecocks quarterback landed an NIL deal with Cheez-It ahead of the Citrus Bowl and also appeared in the EA Sports College Football 25 video game. However, amidst all this, Sellers must not forget what’s on his plate at the moment.

LaNorris Sellers’ name is buzzing in the 2026 NFL mock draft 

The 2025 NFL draft has just dropped the curtain. However, the mock drafts for the 2026 NFL Draft are already buzzing. CBS Sports released their latest 2026 NFL mock draft. They had Sellers as the third quarterback off the board, after Arch Manning and Drew Allar. As per the projections, Sellers will be going off the shelves as the sixth overall pick to the Las Vegas Raiders. However, he has already found himself on the list of ‘The riskiest quarterback among Top 10’ prepared by analyst Gerald V Dixon on the 247Sports podcast.

But what made Sellers find a place in that list? As Dixon shared, “I’m gonna say it’s LaNorris Sellers. It’s not because of his talent but it’s because of his time in pass being the pocket quarterback. Yes, he is a great runner… but last year he got banged up. Why? Because he wanted to get out of the pocket too much.” The 2024 season witnessed him carrying the burden of 18 fumbles, which consisted of 7 interceptions. Plus, he carries the burden of South Carolina’s history. After all, in the last two years, none of the first-round picks were from Beamer’s squad. 

However, the head coach has set out clear instructions for LaNorris Sellers. “Let’s be real. He’s the leader of the offense; he’s the leader of this football team. So whether he likes it or not, he’s got to embrace that role in his own way. Don’t be somebody you’re not.” But the quarterback is making progress. For instance, he is working on developing chemistry with wide receivers. The fact that he chose to stay in South Carolina already made Shane Beamer and Co. proud. He now just has to prove himself on the gridiron.