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By Matthew Schmidt
Contributing Sports Writer
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Heading into the 2025 college football season, South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers was viewed as a Heisman Trophy candidate and one of the top prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft.
However, Sellers had an incredibly disappointing campaign, throwing for 2,437 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 60.8 percent of his passes. He also rushed for 270 yards and five scores.
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The general expectation was that Sellers would still head to the NFL despite his poor showing, but apparently, that isn't going to be the case.
ESPN's Pete Thamel has reported that Sellers is nearing a deal to return to South Carolina for his redshirt junior year next season. He has indicated to staff that he will be coming back, and a deal is expected to be finalized soon.
This is a wild turn of events for Sellers, who stands 6-foot-3, weighs 240 pounds and is blessed with remarkable athleticism that made him a tantalizing prospect to NFL evaluators.
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Of course, it could ultimately be the best move for Sellers.
The chances of Sellers being a first-round pick at this point are slim to none. He is incredibly talented, but after seeing him struggle through 2025, there were just too many red flags to take him on Day 1.
Sellers could have been a Day 2 pick this coming April, but it's probably wise for him to return to school in an attempt to rebuild his draft stock for 2027.
The 20-year-old arrived at South Carolina in 2023 and became the full-time starter the following year, finishing with 2,534 yards, 18 touchdowns and seven picks while completing 65.6 percent of his throws. Additionally, he racked up 674 yards and seven scores on the ground.
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The Gamecocks were disappointing as a whole this season, going 4-8 and failing to qualify for a bowl game for the second time in three years.
We'll see if Sellers is able to respond with a much more impressive campaign next fall.
For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.
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