It’s no secret that the Pittsburgh Steelers need a quarterback of the future. Whether or not Aaron Rodgers returns in 2026, the Steelers are likely to take a quarterback early. ESPN’s Jordan Reid believes that South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers is an ideal successor for the Steelers, especially if Rodgers returns for another season.
“The season hasn’t gone as expected for Sellers, as he has struggled in the second half of games. But if Rodgers comes back for another season, it would make sense for Pittsburgh to dub Sellers as the successor,” Reid wrote in an offseason lookahead article for ESPN.
Like many of the projected top quarterbacks ahead of the season, it hasn’t been an ideal season for Sellers. South Carolina is just 3-7 and 1-7 in SEC play, while Sellers has thrown for 1,782 yards and nine touchdowns with six interceptions while adding 186 yards and three scores on the ground. Even before the season, the question mark with Sellers was whether or not he was developed enough as a prospect, and this season has shown there’s more seasoning to be had.
Despite those concerns, Sellers still ranked 15th on The Athletic’s Dane Brugler’s recent draft board of the top 50 prospects. If Sellers declares for the draft, his athletic tools would likely intrigue a team enough to make him a first-round pick. But it might be a stretch for him to start right away, hence why sitting him behind Rodgers for a season would make sense for the Steelers.
Rodgers has shown himself to be a good mentor to Will Howard this season. If he returns for another season and the Steelers draft a quarterback early, the expectation is that it will continue to be the case for Pittsburgh’s next rookie QB. The big question with Sellers specifically will be whether or not he enters the draft this year. Given his struggles and the struggles of South Carolina as a whole this season, Sellers, who is only a redshirt sophomore, could opt to return to school and try to boost his stock for 2027.
But if he does enter the draft this year, he could essentially take a redshirt year with whatever team drafts him, and learning from Rodgers would be one of the best situations for him. Whether or not the Steelers would pony up for a first-round quarterback with Rodgers returning is another question, but this team needs a quarterback of the future. While some, like former NFL head coach Jon Gruden, believe Howard could be the answer, the odds are good that the Steelers will take an early quarterback in one of the next two drafts, and Sellers very well may be the best fit.