LaNorris Sellers didn’t just survive his first full season as the South Carolina Gamecocks’ starting quarterback—he thrived. What started as a year filled with skepticism and doubt quickly turned into a showcase of talent, resilience, and undeniable star power. By the time the 2024 season wrapped, Sellers rose from his ashes as a QB barely registering on SEC radars of starting young signal-callers in the nation. Leading the Gamecocks to a scorching 6-0 finish. Now, as he gears up for his second year under center, Shane Beamer would be beaming with joy.

Since the surrounding conversation isn’t about whether he belongs. It’s about how high he can climb. It’s no longer just South Carolina fans taking notice. National media and analysts are beginning to recognize what Shane Beamer has known all along—Sellers has the tools to be special. After throwing for 2,534 yards, 18 touchdowns, and adding another seven scores on the ground as a redshirt freshman, the FWAA Freshman of the Year is on the verge of something even bigger. Brad Crawford of 247 Sports believes that if Sellers replicates or even slightly improves on those numbers in 2025, he’ll find himself in the thick of the Heisman Trophy race.

And why not? The blueprint is there. His dual-threat ability, command of the offense, and knack for making big plays in crucial moments put him in the same mold as past Heisman winners like Florida’s Tim Tebow, who dominated both through the air and on the ground. Crawford sees a clear path for Sellers to earn national recognition early in the season. “I think those first five games of the season for the Gamecocks, considering they’re probably going to be favored in all five of those games, I think Shane and Mike Shula, Gamecocks’ new OC, is going to try to sort of work LaNorris Sellers into a lather, get him comfortable, a lot of rhythm, not necessarily have to run for 100 yards each game,” Crawford explained.

The logic is simple—if LaNorris Sellers puts up consistent numbers through the first month of the season, the national spotlight will follow. Throwers who start strong don’t just rack up stats; they drive the narrative. And that’s where things get interesting. Crawford pointed out a formula that has worked for past Heisman winners like Tim Tebow, noting, “Maybe played them one or two more series in the fourth quarter than he should have, made sure those guys had four or five touchdowns.” If Sellers manages to average around three passing touchdowns per game in that early stretch, Crawford believes he’ll have between 15-18 total scores by the time October rolls around.

“He’s undoubtedly inside that Heisman conversation because the Gamecocks would then be a top 15 team,” he said. Considering that South Carolina is projected to land somewhere between No. 14-16 in the AP preseason poll, a hot start would propel them firmly into the top 10, putting Sellers in the kind of rare air that gets you an invite to New York in December. The contrast between this and where Sellers was a year ago couldn’t be more striking. “Here’s a guy that, last year at this time, nobody was really talking about,” Shane Beamer said on 107.5 The Game, reflecting on Sellers’ rise. That’s the reality of college football—one season can change everything.

Just twelve months ago, Sellers was an unproven talent, overlooked in a conference filled with established quarterbacks. Now, he’s the centerpiece of a team with legitimate momentum. The next step for Sellers is capitalizing on the opportunity. With new OC Mike Shula fine-tuning the scheme, the Gamecocks are looking to maximize their quarterback’s unique skill set.

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If Sellers can execute early, keep South Carolina in the win column, and rack up the kind of numbers Crawford envisions, then all bets are off.

LaNorris Sellers keeps on selling his stock and it’s expensive

Sellers’ stock just keeps rising, and CBS Sports is taking notice. In their latest college football quarterback rankings, the South Carolina star landed at No. 7 in the country—and the No. 3 QB in the SEC, trailing only Texas’ Arch Manning (No. 1) and LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier (No. 6). That’s some elite company.

And it’s not just hype—Sellers has the numbers to back it up. Despite missing a game and a half due to an ankle injury, he still racked up 18 passing touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2024. But his game isn’t just about slinging the football. He was just as dangerous with his legs, piling up 674 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns.

CBS didn’t just stop at ranking him high—they dropped a major NFL comp on him, comparing Sellers to none other than the Philadelphia Eagles’ SB 59 winner, Jalen Hurts. That’s a serious endorsement. Hurts went from being doubted in college to becoming one of the NFL’s most dynamic quarterbacks, and if Sellers keeps trending upward, he might just follow a similar path. Bottom line? The LaNorris Sellers hype train is picking up steam.