The buzz surrounding South Carolina Gamecock football has not let up during the offseason, and for good reason. With all of the rising star power and a growing national profile, the Gamecocks are turning heads, and at front and center of all the hype is redshirt sophomore quarterback LaNorris Sellers.
ESPN added even more fuel to the fire this week with the release of its 2025 college football preview. Among the top Heisman Trophy contenders was none other than South Carolina's star signal-caller, LaNorris Sellers, checking in at No. 7.
Sellers is the sixth quarterback on the list, coming in behind Clemson's Cade Klubnik, Texas namesake hopeful Arch Manning, LSU's Garrett Nussmeier, Florida's DJ Lagway, and Penn State's Drew Allar. Ohio State's wide receiver Jeremiah Smith was the only non-quarterback to crack the top seven.
In the ESPN's breakdown, Chris Low praised Sellers, calling him potentially "the most valuable player in the country." Low compared Sellers' play style and impact to the 2010 Heisman winner, Cam Newton. While Sellers is still refining his skills as a passer, he made great strides in the second half of the 2024 season for the Gamecocks. But his production speaks for itself, with 25 total touchdowns, 18 through the air and seven on the ground, along with more than 2,500 passing yards and over 600 rushing yards. Sellers is one of just five Power Four quarterbacks to hit those numbers in 2024.
There is still a lot of work to do and a lot to prove for the young QB in the upcoming season. South Carolina opens the 2025 football season in Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium on August 30 against Virginia Tech. And one thing is for certain, the era of Sellers is heating up, and the nation is watching closely.