South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers may have just changed the conversation for USC’s Jayden Maiava. Despite being widely viewed as a top-10 quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft class and by some evaluators as a potential first-round pick, Sellers is expected to return for his redshirt junior season with the Gamecocks.
On3’s Pete Nakos reported Saturday that Sellers is in final negotiations on a deal to return to Columbia, South Carolina, a move that signals how modern quarterbacks are weighing development, draft positioning, and financial reality within this still new NIL era. That decision resonates far beyond South Carolina.
Why Sellers Is Choosing College Over the Draft for Now
Sellers has already shown NFL-caliber tools. Over two seasons as South Carolina’s starter, he has completed 63.2 percent of his passes for 4,971 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions, while adding 944 rushing yards and 12 scores on the ground. At his peak, he averaged 246.4 total yards per game and was viewed as one of the most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks in the country.
But his most recent season exposed areas that still need refinement. Sellers’ completion percentage dipped to 60.8 percent, his passing yardage fell to 2,437 yards, and his touchdown-to-interception ratio narrowed to 13-to-8. His rushing impact declined as well, producing just 270 yards and five touchdowns. The upside remains clear, but so does the unfinished work.
Rather than entering the draft on projection alone, Sellers appears to be betting on himself. Another year as a starter gives him a chance to clean up those weaknesses, potentially elevate himself back into first-round territory, and maintain elite NIL earning power in the meantime.
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Where Jayden Maiava Fits Into That Blueprint
That same logic applies, arguably even more strongly, to Maiava. The USC redshirt junior is coming off a career season, throwing for 3,341 yards, 23 touchdowns, and just eight interceptions while completing 66.2 percent of his passes. Statistically, Maiava was more efficient this past season than Sellers, protecting the football at a high level while operating Lincoln Riley’s offense for the first full year as the starter.
Yet the perception gap is real. Sellers entered the year with first-round buzz. Maiava, despite his production, is not widely viewed as a surefire early pick. According to Pro Football Focus, Sellers ranked fourth among quarterbacks in the 2026 class, with Maiava close behind at fifth.
ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper’s latest positional rankings placed Maiava 10th, projecting him closer to a second- or third-round outcome than immediate NFL stardom. That distinction matters when evaluating timing.
NFL Reality vs. NIL Leverage
The financial side sharpens the picture as well. Sellers currently ranks sixth nationally in college football NIL valuations, per On3. Maiava sits not far behind at 14th and well within range of a significant jump with another year as USC’s unquestioned starter.
Compare that to the likely NFL alternative. A second- or third-round quarterback is rarely handed the keys immediately. More often, that player spends his rookie season holding a clipboard, earning a modest rookie contract while waiting for an opportunity that may or may not come quickly. The developmental runway exists, but the earning ceiling is capped early. Returning to USC offers Maiava leverage on both fronts. Another year could strengthen his draft profile, raise his NIL valuation, and give him more control over how and when he enters the league.
Maiava will have to make that decision soon, with USC closing its season against TCU in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 30. Sellers’ choice doesn’t make that call for him, but it does make one thing clear. In today’s college football landscape, staying can be just as strategic as leaving, especially when the next step isn’t guaranteed to be better.
