Week 1 of the college football season is nearly here, and last-minute predictions are being delivered left and right. Popular analyst Josh Pate recently discussed teams in the SEC, which led him to make a rather bold prediction about South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers and the 2026 NFL Draft.
During a guest appearance on “Up and Adams,” with Kay Adams, Pate predicted that the 20-year-old quarterback could play well enough this season to become the No. 1 pick of the 2026 NFL Draft. Pate believes the talent is there, and if South Carolina's wide receiver group plays above expectations, then LaNorris Sellers could take a huge leap in production.
“I would say that LaNorris Sellers has the chance out of all these guys to be the story of the year,” said Josh Pate… “LaNorris Sellers could be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, this time next year, when we're talking about South Carolina replacing the top overall pick in the draft, like the way we're talking about Miami right now.
“[Sellers] is incredibly dynamic,” continued Pate. “I think he has just scratched the surface of what he's capable of this year. [South Carolina] really worked on his pocket presence, pocket awareness in the spring and summer. Because he's got all the athleticism in the world… I've doubted his wide receiver room… [South Carolina] swears that they got one of the most underrated wide receiver rooms in the SEC… If they're right, then LaNorris Sellers is priced way too low.”
"LaNorris Sellers could be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft"
Josh Pate is IN on the South Carolina QB 📈@heykayadams | @JoshPateCFB | #FuturesDay | @LanorriSellers pic.twitter.com/Wq12x3wEYJ
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) August 26, 2025
Sellers is a red-shirt sophomore who is entering his third season at South Carolina. He stepped in as the starting quarterback for the first time in his collegiate career in the 2024-25 campaign. LaNorris Sellers flashed major potential after throwing for 2,534 passing yards and 18 touchdowns while owning a 65.6% completion percentage.
Pate seems to believe that the prospective quarterback and his team will immediately catch attention if Sellers and the Gamecocks play incredibly well in the season opener against Virginia Tech. LaNorris Sellers is considered one of the Heisman favorites for the upcoming season. If he lives up to the hype, then perhaps Josh Pate's NFL Draft prediction could come true.
