$2.7 Million QB Predicted to Bounce Back After Disappointing College Football Season

Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Lanorris Sellers (16) scrambles against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the first quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

The 2026 FBS transfer window (Jan. 2–16) produced a high-profile haul that reshaped rosters across the Power-5 landscape.

Dozens of impact players, including 2025 FBS passing leader Drew Mestemaker (North Texas to Oklahoma State), edge rusher Damon Wilson II (Missouri to Miami), and wide receiver Cam Coleman (Auburn to Texas), have found new homes, resetting expectations for programs heading into 2026.

Yet while many teams are rebuilding through movement, one established SEC quarterback is being projected for a rebound: South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers.

Sellers burst onto the national radar in 2024, throwing for 2,534 yards, 18 touchdowns, and seven interceptions while adding 674 rushing yards and seven scores on the ground with a 65.8% completion rate.

Entering his second full season as the Gamecocks’ starter in 2025, he carried one of the highest NIL valuations in college football, approximately $2.7 million, placing him inside the top 10 nationally, and significant NFL draft buzz.

Instead, production dipped. Sellers finished with 2,437 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, while his rushing output fell to 270 yards. His completion percentage also dropped to 60.8%, a noticeable regression given the preseason expectations.

Despite the down year, CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah included Sellers on his list of “10 college football players poised for bounce-back seasons,” citing South Carolina’s coaching changes and incoming talent as key factors that could fuel a resurgence in 2026.

South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers before the game. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Co Inc SC / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

South Carolina entered 2025 with high expectations after a 9–4 finish in 2024, but the season unraveled into a 4–8 (1–7 SEC) campaign, highlighted by a five-game losing streak and double-digit losses to Vanderbilt, LSU, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and Clemson.

Offensively, the Gamecocks struggled across the board. They averaged just 336.3 total yards per game, the second-fewest in the SEC, and ranked second-worst in scoring at 22.7 points per contest. Protection issues compounded the problem, as South Carolina surrendered 43 sacks, one of the highest totals nationally.

Since the regular season ended, the program has moved aggressively to address those deficiencies ahead of 2026. Shane Beamer hired Kendal Briles as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, bringing in a play-caller with a track record of high-output offenses at TCU, Arkansas, and Florida State.

The Gamecocks also assembled a 25-player transfer portal class heavily focused on rebuilding the offense, highlighted by six offensive linemen and multiple skill-position additions.

According to 247Sports, South Carolina’s transfer haul ranks No. 22 nationally, headlined by offensive tackle Jacarrius Peak (NC State), wide receiver Nitro Tuggle (Purdue), and running back Christian Clark (Texas).

Better protection should lower pressure rates and create cleaner throwing windows for Sellers, while added skill talent will boost run-game flexibility to better suit his dual-threat profile.

Read More at College Football HQ

• No. 1 transfer portal QB named ‘biggest wildcard’ quarterback in college football

• $4 million college football QB viewed as ‘very undersized’ NFL prospect

• $2.9 million WR viewed as most influential transfer player in college football

• $1.9 million QB rated highest graded transfer quarterback in college football