Gamecocks QB LaNorris Sellers was offered $8 million to transfer, report says
South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers emerged as one of the country’s best dual-threat quarterbacks in 2024. Unsurprisingly, that led to some top-dollar tampering.
Sellers’ father detailed those backdoor conversations in a story published June 16 by The Athletic — and revealed that one school offered Sellers $8 million to transfer.
Under NCAA rules, programs are technically not allowed to contact players unless they’re in the transfer portal and/or use financial inducements in recruiting. But both practices are commonplace and the NCAA has not been able to prevent them.
Norris Sellers did not name the school that offered his son $8 million, which was contingent on Sellers (who is draft-eligible after this season) playing two more years in college.
He said the Gamecocks’ star quarterback “was offered all kinds of crazy numbers” after racking up over 3,200 total yards and 25 total touchdowns as a redshirt freshman and leading South Carolina to a 9-4 record in his first season as a starter.
Sellers, 19, formally signed a new NIL deal with USC on Dec. 24. Those terms were not disclosed.
He and his father both told The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman that despite massive offers to transfer and play elsewhere, Sellers did not consider leaving South Carolina.
“I’ve been playing football all of my life for free,” LaNorris Sellers told Feldman.
Norris Sellers added that the family’s goal with LaNorris, dating back to his high school days at South Florence, was “to get into college on a scholarship, play ball, get our degree and go on about our business. This NIL deal came later.”
“We didn’t come here to make money,” Norris Sellers said in The Athletic article. “We came here to get our education, play ball, and with schools calling, we’re not gonna jump ship because they’re offering more than what we’re getting. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Was Shane Beamer worried Sellers would leave?
It’s unclear how much South Carolina and its collective will pay Sellers in 2025.
But the website On3 Sports places his NIL “valuation” at $3.7 million, the highest on USC’s roster and No. 6 nationally. The State previously reported that edge rusher Dylan Stewart, another Gamecocks star, will make over seven figures this year.
Sellers (6-foot-3, 240 pounds) threw for 2,534 yards and 18 touchdowns against seven interceptions in 2024 while rushing for 674 yards (909 excluding sacks) and seven more scores in 12 games. South Carolina’s nine wins were its most since 2017.
Sellers’ father said a number of schools reached out (presumably after the regular season ended in December) to see if the QB would be interested in transferring. There were “several talks,” he told The Athletic, “but it never really crossed his mind.”
Entering his redshirt sophomore season, Sellers is now considered a 2025 Heisman Trophy contender and potential first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
“It’s a challenge with colleges offering younger guys that kind of money,” Norris Sellers told The Athletic of his son. “Who’s gonna say no to $8 million for two years? They’re gonna be swayed if you don’t have the right people in your corner.”
USC coach Shane Beamer, for his part, told The Athletic he wasn’t worried about Sellers transferring. Beamer said he understands money is part of the equation, but his starting quarterback also has a “really good situation” in Columbia.
“He knows what he means to this state,” Beamer said.
This story was originally published June 16, 2025 at 11:02 AM.
