Anonymous SEC coach doubts LaNorris Sellers: "Physical freak, but is he a QB?"

ESPN's quarterback scouting report on LaNorris Sellers has SEC coaches divided. Some see Cam newton potential; others question if his is really a good quarterback at all.
Dec 31, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA;  South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers (16) before the play call against the Illinois Fighting Illini in the fourth quarter at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images
Dec 31, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers (16) before the play call against the Illinois Fighting Illini in the fourth quarter at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images | Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images

The buzz around South Carolina's QB1 keeps getting louder, but not everyone in the SEC is convinced. In Adam Rittenberg's recent ESPN feature on the 2025 quarterback landscape, Sellers drew comparisons to both Cam Newton and Anthony Richardson, lofty names that speak to his blend of size, speed, and raw talent.

Sellers, who stands at 240 pounds, broke out last season with a stretch of games that had South Carolina fans dreaming big. Clemson found out firsthand when he bulldozed through their defense rushing for 166 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the rivalry win. He also sharpened his passing along the way, finishing at 65.6% completions while creating explosive plays against SEC heavyweights like Texas A&M, Missouri, and LSU.

“Sellers really got hot down the stretch,” one SEC coach told ESPN. “He’s such a big, imposing, physical kid. Now, can he take the next step in the throw game?”

South Carolina offensive coordinator Mike Shula emphasized that balance will be the key: “It’s run when you want to, not when you have to,” he said. Shula also explained that Sellers’ evolution will hinge on mental processing, timing, and trusting his receivers, all of which are pieces of the puzzle that could unlock his ceiling as one of college football’s most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks.

But not everyone is buying the Sellers stock in Columbia. One anonymous SEC coach went the complete other way: “I can’t get behind the LaNorris Sellers hype. He reminds me of Anthony Richardson, and I know Anthony Richardson went fourth overall [in the NFL draft]. Physically, he’s a freak, but is he a great quarterback?”

And that seems to be the looming question heading into Sellers' sophomore season: is he just a highlight-reel athlete, or is he the kind of disciplined quarterback who can carry South Carolina into SEC title contention?

If Sellers can prove the doubters wrong, he won't just be South Carolina's star QB, he will be one of the biggest stories in college football.