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LaNorris Sellers blossomed into one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC last season. The redshirt freshman received plenty of interest from opposing teams as a result.
Sellers’ dad said he turned down an $8 million deal from an unnamed rival to stick around at South Carolina. That offer came despite the fact that the passer was not in the transfer portal.
Sellers and his father, Norris, sat down with The Athletic this offseason to speak on his first season as a starting signal caller in the Southeastern Conference. There were ups and downs, but the youngster remained level-headed through both adversity and triumph.
In Year 1, threw for 2,534 yards and 18 scores. He ran for another 674 yards and seven touchdowns. After a slow start, he led the Gamecocks to six straight wins to put them in the College Football Playoff discussion.
He now returns to Columbia as a draft-eligible sophomore. Should the production continue, he could hear his name called early next April.
While Sellers never planned on transferring, his return marked a massive win for Shane Beamer. Despite not entering the portal, he received multiple offers from other schools. One is said to have been worth $8 million over two years.
LaNorris Sellers turned down the NIL deal to stay with South Carolina.
(Sellers’) dad said other schools reached out to see if he was interested in transferring, and the biggest offer he heard was for $8 million for two years.
“He was offered all kinds of crazy numbers,” Norris said. “I told him he could say, ‘I’m gonna stay or I’m gonna go…’ We didn’t come here to make money. We came here to get our education, play ball, and with schools calling, we’re not gonna just jump ship because they’re offering more than what we’re getting. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
“You’re 19,” Norris added. “You don’t need ($8 million). You’re in a great spot. There were several talks, but it never really crossed his mind (to leave).”
LaNorris Sellers’ current NIL valuation according to On3 Sports sits at $3.7 million. That ranks fifth in all of college football. He might’ve had an opportunity to make more elsewhere, but the quarterback valued relationships over a raise.
South Carolina is his home state. He’s built a strong bond with Shane Beamer over the last 2+ years. He has a chance to achieve a number of firsts with the Gamecocks this fall.
Also helping in the decision is the fact that his younger brother, Jayden, joined the team this offseason. He’ll be a freshman wide receiver and potential target for LaNorris Sellers next year.
“I’ve been playing football all my life for free. I’ve built relationships here, my family’s here, my brother’s here. There’s no reason for me to go someplace else and start over.”
-LaNorris Sellers
Sellers turned down an $8 million bag in a day and age when many wouldn’t. With that decision now behind him, he can look ahead to the 2025-26 season.
The Gamecocks kick off the year in Atlanta against Virginia Tech. Sellers hopes his season ends there in the SEC Championship before a College Football Playoff appearance.