South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about quarterbacks in college football. After a breakout 2024 campaign, Sellers enters the 2025 season not just as the face of the Gamecocks, but as a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender and a potential top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Unteachable Intangibles: What Sets LaNorris Sellers Apart
The buzz around Sellers isn’t just about stats—it’s about the rare, unteachable qualities that set him apart. As draft analyst Todd McShay put it on his podcast, “You can’t coach that s***.”
Sellers’ rise is built on a foundation of physical and mental tools that simply can’t be manufactured. Standing at 6’3″ and 240 pounds, he boasts a rare combination of size, speed, and strength for a quarterback.
McShay drew a direct comparison to Jalen Hurts, saying:
“This guy’s a bigger Jalen Hurts, in my mind. And I want you to remember where Jalen was at Alabama in his first year as a starter. There were flashes, there were some amazing things, but he was a hell of a lot better as a runner than he was as a passer, right? He’s two inches taller than Jalen, he’s 15, 20 pounds heavier than Jalen, yet he’s just as fast, and he’s just as sudden. And when he’s playing with confidence, he’s just as creative. That creativity is so dangerous, and you can’t coach that.”
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Sellers completed 65.6% of his passes for 2,534 yards, 18 touchdowns, seven interceptions, and rushed for 674 yards with seven touchdowns during the 2024 season.
He can throw and run, which makes him a nightmare for defenses and won him SEC Freshman of the Year and National Freshman Offensive Player of the Year status. But it’s not just athleticism, analysts and coaches say — it’s poise, leadership and improvisation under pressure that have made him look like a maturing quarterback.
Sellers’ work ethic and mental makeup have also drawn praise. “When you see him at his best, he’s unstoppable. He’s a great runner when he takes off. Strong arm. Built well. Can handle the physical beating he’s going to take at quarterback and shake off sacks. Moves around really well,” said Steve Muench, McShay’s cohost.
These are the kinds of traits that separate the good from the great at the quarterback position—traits that, as McShay says, “you either have or you don’t.”
From Jalen Hurts to Josh Allen: Comparing Sellers’ Ceiling and Potential
The comparisons don’t stop at Hurts. Some see shades of Buffalo Bills star Josh Allen in Sellers’ game, particularly in terms of size and raw ability.
“I think this kid could be Josh Allen. Like, I see Josh Allen, because I see that frame. He’s that much bigger. When you look at how big this guy is, and what he can do,” said Muench. McShay agreed on the physical tools but noted, “I just think he’s twitchier and doesn’t have the arm of Josh. I think he has a damn good arm. Man, I don’t know.”
Hurts and Allen both had questions about a lack of passing polish coming into the N.F.L. but earned themselves with teams with their unteachable traits — size, mobility, creativity and a competitive drive. Sellers, too, is a work in progress as a passer, but his best plays already “pop” on tape and his ceiling is regarded as one of the highest in the 2026 class.
As McShay put it, “His best tape is better than everyone else’s best tape. I love when things break down, bullets are flying, that’s when some of his special comes out.”
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South Carolina is embracing Sellers’ strengths, and new offensive coordinator Mike Shula has been working to craft the scheme around his talents. If Sellers keeps up his march, Sellers won’t just bring the Gamecocks’ offense forward, but he could reset the upper bounds for what is possible at the position in Columbia.
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