We live in exciting times, a time where college football players earn more than some NFL stars in a year. Arch Manning is the leader now with his $5.3 million NIL valuation. Jeremiah Smith treads second with a $4.2 million NIL value, and his QB, Julian Sayin, is the 10th-ranked NIL-valued player. Sayin has a value of $2.5 million. But he wasn’t always 10th. An unexpected QB surpassed him recently and is the 8th-ranked NIL valued player now.

Ever since December 15th, the South Carolina Gamecocks’ QB’s NIL value has risen to a whopping $2.6 million, officially surpassing Julian Sayin’s $2.5 million. Last month, LaNorris Sellers faced a $600,000 downgrade, and his NIL valuation dropped to $2.9 million. That drop continued, and Sellers’ NIL valuation hovered below Julian Sayin’s $2.5 million. But now, the QB’s NIL is continuing to soar. Now, how did that happen?

Sellers is returning to Columbia for one more season in 2026. The QB has put his trust in Shane Beamer’s coaching prowess and is looking to boost his draft stock in 2026. South Carolina has also repaid that loyalty with a substantial revenue-sharing deal for him, apart from his reported $1.9 million NIL contract.

Sports Talk Media Network reported that LaNorris Sellers, along with defensive end Dylan Stewart, is set to get $5 million combined in total revenue sharing. The deal will surely be a big motivation in Sellers’ success come 2026. This year, though, the sophomore QB passed for 2,437 yards and 270 rushing yards as his performance dipped. It was largely owed to poor O-line play, a new offensive play caller, and a significant decrease in rushing production. But Sellers has stayed loyal despite that.

“I’ve been playing football all of my life for free,” said Sellers. “I’ve built relationships here, my family’s here, my brother’s here. There’s no reason for me to go someplace else and start over.”

LaNorris Sellers is the same QB who became just the third freshman to join the elite club with QBs like Johnny Manziel and Jalen Hurts. The 6’3″ and 240 lb. QB threw for 2,500 yards and rushed for another 500 last year in 2024. The QB was then pivotal in leading the Gamecocks to a 9-4 campaign, which became the most prolific season of Shane Beamer. Naturally, NIL deals followed along with offers from other programs. Still, Sellers’ Gamecock loyalty stayed intact.

LaNorris Sellers stayed a loyal Gamecock despite an $8 million NIL offer

Sellers has several NIL deals to his name. Garnet Trust is a major deal for the QB, along with T-Mobile, which is a part of the “Friday Night 5G Lights” campaign. Beats by Dre, along with Dick Dryer Associates, is another deal that gave the QB a sum north of $185,000. Factor in other deals like EA Sports CFB 25 and Palmetto Autographs, and Sellers looks to be well paid in Columbia. That’s exactly why Sellers stayed loyal even when an $8 million offer came from another Power 4 program.

“He was offered all kinds of crazy numbers,” said LaNorris Sellers’ father, Norris Sellers. “You’re 19. You don’t need ($8 million). You’re in a great spot. We didn’t come here to make money. We came here to get our education, play ball. And with schools calling, we’re not gonna jump ship because they’re offering more than what we’re getting. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

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Sellers, of course, had every reason to jump ship, but loyalty ran thick in his blood. Heavy reports were linking Sellers to Miami. A program known to offer significant NIL deals to land players. ESPN’s Todd McShay fueled the rumor and also called it a possibility. Sellers would have had a chance to play in a QB-friendly offense that propelled Cam Ward and now Carson Beck. However, LaNorris Sellers is not here to earn free money as he says. Instead, he is going to try to script history with the Gamecocks.