South Carolina football team quarterback LaNorris Sellers had been listed as questionable heading into Week 4 after his helmet-to-helmet hit versus Vanderbilt, but still managed to suit up against No. 23 Missouri.
Sellers left the game late in the first half and did not return, leaving South Carolina to fall 31-7. Until the injury, he had completed 6-of-7 passes for 94 yards, keeping his team within striking distance.
Backup Luke Doty stepped in but managed just 184 total yards with three turnovers. Head coach Shane Beamer said midweek there was optimism Sellers could still suit up, but his status is expected to be a game-time decision.
Beyond his injury status, Sellers has become the center of a much larger conversation: his NFL potential. As reported by Pete Thamel of ESPN, an early-season poll of 25 NFL scouts and executives pegged Sellers as the leading candidate to be QB1 in the 2026 NFL Draft.
He received eight votes, edging out LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier (seven). Miami’s Carson Beck and Oklahoma’s John Mateer followed with three votes each, while Penn State’s Drew Allar, Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt, and Texas’ Arch Manning all received at least one.
Sellers’ physical tools make him an early favorite. At 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, he embodies the prototype of today’s dual-threat quarterback, combining power in the run game with quick release mechanics.
One veteran scout told ESPN that his “ability to scramble, make plays with his feet, and throw instinctively” makes him unique in this class. Others pointed to his toughness and intangibles, qualities that have already endeared him to teammates and evaluators alike.
By contrast, Nussmeier is seen as a more polished passer with NFL lineage, being the son of a longtime offensive coordinator. Still, Sellers’ ceiling appears higher, especially if he continues to refine his accuracy and decision-making.
Carson Beck and John Mateer also remain in the mix, but neither has generated the same buzz so early in the cycle. Arch Manning, meanwhile, has struggled out of the gate in 2025, leading scouts to believe he may delay declaring.
As for Sellers, his immediate focus is on getting back under center for South Carolina football team. After last season’s breakout—throwing for over 2,500 yards and rushing for nearly 700- his health will determine how far the Gamecocks can go this fall.
