A return of our Summer Scouting Series here at Steelers Depot. We highlight 2026 NFL Draft hopefuls who are generating buzz prior to the start of the 2025 CFB season at positions that the Pittsburgh Steelers may have interest in several months from now, once the pre-draft process gets underway.
LANORRIS SELLERS, QB, SOUTH CAROLINA (R-SOPHOMORE) — 6-3, 242 POUNDS
THE GOOD
— Has the height, size, and frame you want in an NFL passer
— Freak athlete that can run away from defenders
— Gets up to full speed quickly in the open field
— Extremely difficult to bring down in the pocket
— Able to evade pressure to extend the play or scramble
— Possesses easy arm strength for 50+ yard throws
— Can make off-platform throws while on the move
— Does a good job playing with his eyes downfield
— Puts the ball up in the air where only his man can get it
— Does a good job taking what the defense gives him
THE BAD
— Footwork in the pocket can be sloppy at times
— Mechanics could be cleaned up to improve accuracy
— Can go through his reads quicker while scanning the defense
— Relies on raw physical talent more than sound fundamentals
— Accuracy can be erratic at times from the pocket and on the move
— Needs to play with more consistency as a passer, game-to-game
BIO
— Redshirt sophomore prospect from Florence, SC
— Born June 23, 2005 (age 20)
— Sport and entertainment management major
— Four-star recruit according to Rivals
— Had 45 passing touchdowns, 17 rushing touchdowns, and just two interceptions as a high school senior
— Enrolled early in January to participate in spring ball
— 2023: completed all four of his passes for 86 yards and a touchdown, also rushed five times for 51 yards and a score
— 2024: started 12-of-13 games and completed 196-of-299 passes for 2,534 yards with 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions, also had 166 carries for 674 yards and seven touchdowns
— Missed one game in 2024 due to an ankle injury
— SEC Freshman of the Year (2024), Freshman All-SEC (2024), Third-Team All-SEC (2024), Rex Enright Team Captain, SEC Academic Honor Roll (2023-24)
TAPE BREAKDOWN
LaNorris Sellers burst onto the scene midway through the 2024 campaign. He did not throw for more than 238 yards in any of his first six games, but then hit a hot streak, throwing for less than 238 just once over his final six games of the year. The 6-3, 242-pound redshirt sophomore took college football by storm with his combination of size, arm talent, and athleticism to make plays on the ground with his legs, leading to SEC Freshman of the Year honors last season.
When you plug in the tape on Sellers, you see a big, strong passer with effortless arm talent. He can stretch the field 50+ yards with ease, as you can see in the clip below against Furman. Stepping up into his throw, he uncorks it nearly 60 yards downfield into the end zone over the shoulder of his intended target for the score.
What sticks out the most about Sellers’ game compared to other quarterbacks in this class is his ability to stay upright when the defense sets in and evade pressure to make plays with his legs or through the air with his arm. Watch the clip below against Clemson, where Sellers evades pressure in the pocket and takes off with his legs down the field, scoring two touchdowns against the Tigers, with the latter resulting in the go-ahead touchdown to win the game.
Here’s another clip from the same game. Sellers is dead-to-rights with future first-round pick DL #11 Peter Woods wrapping him up in the pocket, but he somehow manages to get out of it, similar to Eli Manning’s escape in Super Bowl XLII. He evades several defenders as he hits the jets and takes off down the field, turning a near-sack into a near-50-yard gain.
Sellers’ ability to throw off defenders is eerily similar to former Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, playing that “backyard” ball we were so accustomed to seeing Ben play throughout his career. On this clip against Missouri, watch as Sellers runs into the pressure, but manages to escape, roll back to his left, and throw an off-platform pass to his open receiver for the first down. That’s nearly identical to Roethlisberger’s old play style.
These types of plays are littered throughout Sellers’ tape, showing the ability to shrug off defenders and make the play down the field as a passer. Check out this clip against Texas A&M where Sellers has a blitzer come right up the middle unblocked, but manages to escape and roll out to his right, throwing the ball on the run to his open target along the sideline to move the chains.
While Sellers’ play style is enticing, it can sometimes shoot you in the foot, as we experienced with Roethlisberger throughout his career. His footwork and mechanics could improve as well as his processing in the pocket, having completed 65.6-percent of his passes a season ago. However, he can miss wide-open receivers, like in the clip below against Illinois, where Sellers overthrows a wide-open target along the sideline.
CONCLUSION
LaNorris Sellers is a big, young passer who oozes talent at the quarterback position. He has the measurables and skill set you want in a franchise quarterback and showcased his upside on the back half of the 2024 season, getting it done through the air and on the ground.
He will need to continue to work on his processing above the neck and improve his footwork in the pocket to become a more consistent passer, but the tools are there for Sellers to be a highly sought-after prospect at the top of this draft class.
The Pittsburgh Steelers need a quarterback of the future, and while Will Howard shows promise, his tools aren’t at the same level as Sellers’. Look for Sellers to garner plenty of interest going into the 2025 season and be squarely on Pittsburgh’s radar as a prospect who could realistically replace Ben Roethlisberger. Sellers boasts a near identical game and could be the potential next face of the franchise.
Projection: Day 1/Early Day 2
Games Watched: at Clemson (2024), vs Missouri (2024) vs Texas A&M (2024), vs Illinois (2024)
