Before the NFL season kicks off, football fans got their fill with a crowded slate of College Football action over Labor Day weekend. This year, many Pittsburgh Steelers are watching CFB with a particular purpose—to scout the team's next quarterback in the NFL Draft. We may have already found their top option.
When College Football kicked off, all eyes were on Texas QB Arch Manning in his battle against Ohio State, followed by a highly anticipated matchup of two prominent quarterback prospects in Garrett Nussmeier and Cade Klubnik. But LaNorris Sellers was the Steelers quarterback prospect fans were sleeping on.
Sellers, the quarterback for the South Carolina Gamecocks, showcased tremendous tools and talent as a redshirt freshman in 2024. In his first game of 2025 against Virginia Tech, Sellers completed 12 of 19 passes for 209 yards and a beautiful 64-yard touchdown pass on a bomb over the middle of the field.
But it wasn't just his gorgeous deep ball that stood out.
Sellers already looks like a wizard when it comes to extending the play within the pocket. If he couldn't find an open receiver after keeping his eyes downfield, he could scramble to buy more time or take off and run. On one play, Sellers shrugged off a pair of would-be tacklers in old-school, Ben Roethlisberger fashion.
Though he's just one game into his redshirt sophomore campaign, Sellers is already looking like the top quarterback prospect for the Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers may already be eying South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers in the 2026 NFL Draft
LaNorris Sellers has just about everything the Pittsburgh Steelers will be looking for in their next franchise quarterback. Listed at 6'3'' and 240 pounds, the South Carolina product has outstanding size and a cannon arm to pair with his frame.
The Steelers also value SEC competition and his competitive toughness as a player. Despite shaky offensive line play, Sellers is cool under pressure and keeps his eyes downfield until the last second. He's also a powerful runner when he takes off with the football.
Meanwhile, Steelers assistant general manager Andy Weidl was the director of player personnel for the Philadelphia Eagles when they drafted Jalen Hurts. Sellers shares a similar athletic profile and rushing ability, which Hurts possesses, which led to tremendous success in Philadelphia. Weidl is responsible for assembling the Steelers' draft board, and Sellers could be at the top of the list.
Unfortunately, two big problems could arise that would prevent the Steelers from selecting Sellers in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The first is that, with a strong season, Sellers could vault himself to being a top-five pick next April—taking him out of the range of where the Steelers could land a quarterback, even in a trade-up situation.
The other problem is that there's no guarantee Sellers will even declare for the draft after this season. The South Carolina quarterback turned just 20 years old in June and has two more years of eligibility, if he elects to use them. With NIL deals for marketable College Football players, Sellers could make great money simply by staying in school longer.
Still, there's no doubt the Pittsburgh Steelers' front office is going to fall in love with LaNorris Sellers. If he continues to play like he did in his first game of the 2025 CFB season, he could be their top quarterback target in the draft next year.