LaNorris Sellers has been South Florence High School (Florence, S.C.) varsity football’s starting quarterback for two seasons, earning the role as a freshman in 2019. Drew Marlowe, who became the Bruins’ head coach prior to the 2020 campaign, knew Sellers had had a productive freshman season. He would soon realize how gifted Sellers was athletically and in other areas over the next year.

“The first time I saw him throw the ball in person, I knew he was a Power 5 guy. Just the way the ball came out of his hand and how fast it got on receivers,” Marlowe said of the 6’3”, 215-pound Sellers. “There aren’t many who can do it like that. Period. Especially a young guy to be able to do that. As far as his physical ability, there is no doubt, but honestly what surprised me more than anything was his maturity. You think you are talking to a grown man. He’s a fairly quiet guy, but I think there is a lot to be said for that. He processes things at a high level. What surprised me was his leadership ability and the way older guys looked to him to lead. All the great ones, whatever that 'thing' is, they have it. He has maturity and talent, and his parents of done an amazing job raising him.”

Marlowe’s Power 5 suspicion was proven correct when Washington State offered Sellers a scholarship on April 12 of this year. WSU was the first school to offer, but plenty more interest ensued. Marlowe noted, “m phone did not stop ringing for about 60 days” after the Cougars offer was announced.

UVA was one of the interested parties. Head coach Bronco Mendenhall and quarterbacks coach Jason Beck liked what they saw and came through with an offer on May 10. Sellers reciprocated UVA’s interest by making an unofficial visit on Grounds in June. This past Saturday he announced his commitment to the Hoos, becoming UVA’s first pledge in the class of 2023.

“I decided now because UVA is taking one QB per class and so me and my family was just like, 'why wait and risk not being able to go to a school that has what you want in a college?' So Wednesday, I talked with Coach Marlowe and my QB coach and Thursday (July 22) I decided I was gonna commit,” Sellers said. “I called Coach Beck and Mendenhall Friday (July 23) morning.”

Asked why UVA is the place for him, Sellers, who also considered offers from Virginia Tech, Appalachian State and Georgia State, said: “It was really the coaches. They are all comforting, easy to talk to, good bonds and relationships, and usually if the coaches have a good bond then the team does too. The environment and atmosphere was amazing. And the offense is very similar to the offense I run in high school.”

Prior to the recruiting process, Sellers admits he knew little about Virginia.

“I knew they were one of the top schools in the ACC, the type of offense they ran and that they were a high academic school,” Sellers said.

Sellers carries a 4.87 GPA – his goal is a 5.0 by the time he graduates - and so education played a key role in his decision. He likes UVA’s Engineering program. He says the high graduation rate stood out the most. From a football standpoint, the Cavalier coaches showed Sellers clips of Brennan Armstrong, Bryce Perkins, and former BYU star Taysom Hill in a 20-minute film session when he visited last month.

“Coach Beck was cool, easy to talk to,” Sellers said. “He explained things really well and he gets to know you not only as a football player but as a person. He not only wants what’s best for you but for your family as well.”

Becoming a Cavalier “feels really good,” Sellers said. “I think I’ve made a good decision.”

After a freshman season in which he threw for 1,403 yards and 12 touchdowns and a sophomore campaign in which he totaled 1,795 yards (1,077 pass, 618 rush) and 25 touchdowns (12 pass, 13 rush), Sellers enters his junior year with almost 15 extra pounds of muscle on his 6’3” frame. Marlowe adds that his talented starting quarterback has “gotten a tremendous amount stronger” since the 2020 season.

Marlowe believes a full offseason of development will have a big impact on Sellers’ overall development at quarterback, and he looks forward to seeing the result.

“We’ve got to continue to teach him patience in the pocket,” Marlowe answered when asked what Sellers needed to work on this offseason. “He had to go through two offensive lines that didn’t play well. He can be a little quick to get out of the pocket. That, and just making good decisions and not panicking when the pocket collapses. He’s 6’3”, 215 pounds, and he ran a 4.65 at one of the combines. His body has changed so much. We’re going to use him more in the run game this year. We want to protect him better. He’s an extremely hard worker. He has been working with guys this offseason. He has a tremendous work ethic. Frankly, I’m excited to see him play this year. This will be the first time he has had a real summer and spring going into football season.”

The 2021 season will also be LaNorris’ first playing alongside his younger brother, Jayden.

“His brother is going to be a freshman for us,” Marlowe said. “[Jayden] could play a number of skill positions for us. As LaNorris' brother, he’s used to catching the ball coming at him with that much velocity. I think [Jayden] is another potential college player.”

Asked if he could see his brother joining him in Charlottesville, LaNorris answered: “That would be pretty cool for him to join me there. For us to go from playing in the yard when we were younger to playing in college is amazing. I told him if he ever got offer to just go ahead and commit (laughs).”