South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers won’t be declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft. Instead, he’ll be returning to the school for his redshirt junior season and making the 2027 NFL Draft a fascinating one when it comes to QB talent.
Sellers, who was and is still ranked one of the top QB prospects in the nation, has indicated to his coaches that he will be back another year.
Is this a surprising decision for Sellers?
The return to South Carolina is a surprise, but not the decision to return to school for another year. A transfer portal candidate, Sellers faltered after a breakout 2024 season. In an up-and-down season, the excitement surrounding Sellers dimmed due to the Gamecocks finishing the season at 4-8 while Sellers’ weaknesses were exposed a bit, primarily his processing speed, accuracy and ball security issues.
In admitting his intention to sign with the Gamecocks, Sellers also admitted he is not NFL-ready.
“Obviously there was stuff I felt like I had to work on as well,” Sellers said. “Pretty much, (NFL scouts) were saying the same thing. It was just a lot — weighing out all my options and what was best for (right) now and the future.”
All eyes on the 2027 NFL Draft class
Standing at 6-foot-3, 240-pounds, the sophomore threw for 2,437 yards and 13 touchdowns with some eye-popping highlights, but it was clear at times that he needs more time to develop. With his size, athleticism and arm talent, another season at college could make him one of the top prizes of the 2027 NFL Draft.
LET IT FLY, LANORRIS! pic.twitter.com/aHs4S2CAj5
— South Carolina Football (@GamecockFB) November 29, 2025
While there are cons to forgoing the draft, there are many elements in Sellers’ favor by returning to school. The primary reason is that he will have another season of development and an opportunity to prove he can stay healthy and be that guy he was in his 2024 breakout season.
If Sellers does that, while leading South Carolina to a more impactful season in 2026, he will be amongst the top quarterbacks in what is shaping up to be a memorable 2027 NFL Draft.
While teams will clamor over an opportunity to land Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza in the 2026 NFL Draft, NFL teams looking for a quarterback may opt to turn their attention to the 2027 draft where Sellers projects to be on a list that includes Arch Manning, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola and Florida’s DJ Lagway. There is a potential Alabama’s Ty Simpson and Oklahoma’s John Mateer could also be a part of that class.
As seen with Mendoza, there is always a chance a less talked about quarterback emerges, but now Sellers has a big chance to capture the draft, especially given the dual-threat fascination he brings to the position.