LaNorris Sellers grew up as a big fan of former Auburn Tigers star and NFL quarterback Cam Newton. He didn’t just like watching him play; he believed that he could be like him one day.
When Sellers was 11, he even wrote Newton a fan letter. Watching Newton play helped Sellers learn how to think and play like a great quarterback.
Now, Sellers is 19 years old and the starting quarterback for the South Carolina Gamecocks. He wasn’t a top recruit at first, but he is the best story to follow in college football right now. It all began with one belief: If Cam can do it, so can he.
LaNorris Sellers’ Rise at South Carolina Traced Back to Cam Newton’s Inspiration
Newton was selected No. 1 overall in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Panthers. He became the first rookie quarterback to throw for over 4,000 yards in a season. In addition to earning MVP honors, he holds the NFL record for the most career rushing touchdowns by a quarterback.
Undoubtedly, Newton is an inspiration for most young quarterbacks in the nation, but he might influence Sellers the most. However, it was actually his father who mainly pushed the 19-year-old to be like Newton.
Norris Sellers told USA Today, “LaNorris, who from an early age aspired to be an architect, also aspired to be like his regional NFL team’s former starting quarterback: Cam Newton.” Norris, a lifelong Panthers fan, often told his son, “You play just like Cam and you kind of look like him. I think that gave him the mindset: If (Cam) can do it, I can do it.”
LaNorris began showing his admiration for Newton at a young age. Having just learned cursive, he wrote Newton a letter. “‘I don’t remember what I wrote,’ LaNorris said, ‘but I imagine it was something cringey,’” his mother, Cheryl Ford, recalled.
A guy almost no one had ever heard of a year ago and who was overlooked throughout the recruiting process to being a projected top-5 NFL Draft pick, 19-year old LaNorris Sellers may be the best story in college football right now:https://t.co/fRMiVW2Chs
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) June 16, 2025
“He brings me this letter when I’m in the kitchen,” Ford said. “It was the typical kid stuff: ‘I’m your biggest fan. I want to be like you when I grow up.” She laughed, adding, “I didn’t send it to him. I kept it.”
Now, LaNorris is turning that childhood admiration into real-life achievement. As a senior at South Florence High School, he led his team to a South Carolina 4A state championship, throwing for 2,949 yards and 45 touchdowns while rushing for 1,337 yards and 22 touchdowns.
In 2024, as a redshirt freshman at South Carolina, LaNorris exploded onto the college football scene. His play that season earned him a long list of accolades, including SEC Freshman of the Year, FWAA National Freshman Offensive Player of the Year, and Second-Team All-SEC honors. He’s not just talking the talk. He’s actually following in Newton’s footsteps.
