JB’s Players to Watch: The Best College Football Players in South Carolina You Need to Know in 2026 — Sellers

When we talk about college football in South Carolina, most of the conversation naturally starts in Columbia and Clemson.

And there is nothing wrong with that.

LaNorris Sellers and Dylan Stewart are two of the best players in college football, period. Clemson has its share of big-time talent as well.

But there is a hell of a lot more college football being played in this state.

One of the things I always enjoyed when I was covering high school football and recruiting was finding the kid that everybody didn’t know about yet. Sometimes he wasn’t playing in front of 80,000 people on Saturday. Sometimes you had to drive to Newberry, Spartanburg, Clinton or Orangeburg to find him.

So I decided to look across the entire state.

If I were putting together a list of college football players in South Carolina that I would make a point of watching in 2026, these are my guys.

SOUTH CAROLINA — LaNorris Sellers, QB

We might as well start with the obvious one.

LaNorris Sellers has reached the point where we aren’t just talking about one of the best players in South Carolina. We’re talking about one of the most talented quarterbacks in the country.

The size, athletic ability and arm talent are all there. When Sellers gets outside the pocket, he creates the kind of problems for a defense that simply can’t be drawn up on a chalkboard.

The next step is consistency.

If Sellers takes that next step as a passer and South Carolina can protect him, he has the ability to completely change the ceiling of this football team.

He’s not just a player to watch in South Carolina.

He’s a player to watch nationally.

SOUTH CAROLINA — Dylan Stewart, EDGE

I’m cheating and taking two Gamecocks because leaving Dylan Stewart off this list would be ridiculous.

Stewart is one of those defensive players who can wreck an offensive game plan.

You don’t necessarily measure a great pass rusher simply by sacks. If the offensive coordinator has to change protections, keep a tight end in, slide the line or get the football out earlier because of one guy, that player is already affecting the game.

That’s Dylan Stewart.

He has NFL ability written all over him, and I think we’re going to see an even more complete football player this season.

CLEMSON — Sammy Brown, LB

Clemson has several players I could have gone with here, but I’m taking Sammy Brown.

Brown is exactly what you want a Clemson linebacker to look like: athletic, physical and capable of playing sideline to sideline.

He’s already established himself as one of the better linebackers in the ACC, and I think he has a chance to become one of the best defensive players in the country.

If Clemson’s defense is going to be what Clemson expects its defense to be, Brown will be right in the middle of it.

FURMAN — Joshua Stoneking, DE

Now we’re getting into the reason I wanted to do this story.

If you don’t follow FCS football closely, you might not know Joshua Stoneking.

You should.

Stoneking led FCS football with 14.5 sacks and 23 tackles for loss last season and earned consensus All-American recognition.

Read those numbers again.

Fourteen and a half sacks.

Twenty-three tackles for loss.

That’s not just having a good year. That’s living in the opponent’s backfield.

If Stoneking were putting up those numbers wearing an SEC uniform, we’d be hearing his name every Saturday on national television.

He’s exactly the kind of player this list is designed to recognize.

NEWBERRY — Mikey Blandin, LB

Here’s another one.

Mikey Blandin is a fifth-year senior at Newberry and one of the best Division II defensive players in the country.

Last season he piled up 124 tackles, earned All-American recognition and established himself as one of the premier defensive players in the South Atlantic Conference.

I love players like this.

There isn’t a lot of flash involved. Find the football and tackle the guy carrying it.

Do that 124 times and eventually people ought to notice.

If you’re anywhere around Newberry this fall, Blandin is worth seeing play.

COASTAL CAROLINA — Ja’Marion Wayne, DB

Ja’Marion Wayne gives Coastal Carolina an experienced playmaker in the secondary.

He enters the season as a preseason first-team All-Sun Belt selection after recording 61 tackles, seven pass breakups and two forced fumbles last year.

Defensive backs sometimes disappear statistically because quarterbacks simply stop throwing at them.

Wayne is the type of player offenses have to account for before the ball is snapped.

THE CITADEL — Quentin Hayes, QB

There is something about watching a quarterback operate at The Citadel that has always interested me because playing quarterback there requires a different mentality.

Quentin Hayes enters 2026 as a preseason first-team All-Southern Conference selection.

He’s experienced, he’s athletic, and he’s going to have the football in his hands a lot.

When you’re talking about players who can determine what kind of season their team has, Hayes certainly belongs on this list.

CHARLESTON SOUTHERN — Steve Zayachkowsky, LB

If you like linebackers, here’s another name to remember.

Steve Zayachkowsky has earned preseason all-conference and national recognition heading into the season and gives Charleston Southern an established presence in the middle of its defense.

He’s another example of why I wanted to go beyond the Power Four schools with this list.

There are damn good football players all over this state.

PRESBYTERIAN — Marcello Coleman, OL

Offensive linemen don’t get enough love on lists like this.

So I’m giving Marcello Coleman some.

Coleman earned All-Pioneer Football League recognition and enters this season as a preseason first-team all-conference selection.

You won’t see his statistics scrolling across the bottom of ESPN.

That’s because offensive linemen don’t have many statistics.

But watch Presbyterian play and spend a few snaps watching the line instead of following the football.

You’ll understand why Coleman is here.

WOFFORD — Kyle Watkins, WR

I’m going with Kyle Watkins at Wofford.

Watkins gives the Terriers an explosive playmaker who can affect a football game whenever the ball gets into his hands.

Wofford has several players receiving preseason All-Southern Conference recognition, and this is a program that appears to be moving back in the right direction.

Watkins is the guy I’m watching when the Terriers have the football.

SOUTH CAROLINA STATE — Caden High, WR

South Carolina State might be one of the easiest programs in the state for casual fans to overlook.

That’s a mistake.

The Bulldogs enter the season as the preseason favorite in the MEAC and had nine players selected first-team preseason All-MEAC.

I’m going with wide receiver Caden High.

High gives the Bulldogs a legitimate playmaker on the outside and is part of the reason expectations are high again in Orangeburg.

South Carolina State has a long history of producing professional football players. Never assume there isn’t NFL-caliber talent playing in Orangeburg.

BENEDICT — Kamari Young, TE

Benedict has become a program worth paying attention to.

The Tigers were picked near the top of the SIAC again and put five players on the preseason all-conference team.

My guy to watch is tight end Kamari Young.

I have always liked versatile tight ends because they create matchup problems. If you’re big enough to block but athletic enough to become part of the passing game, defenses have to make decisions about personnel.

Young gives Benedict that kind of weapon.

ALLEN — Chance Bush, OL

Here’s another big guy getting some recognition.

Chance Bush enters the season as a first-team preseason All-SIAC offensive lineman.

Again, nobody is going to build a Heisman campaign around an offensive guard or tackle, but football games are still won and lost at the line of scrimmage.

Bush is one of the better small-college linemen in the state and deserves to be mentioned.

NORTH GREENVILLE — Jaden Shippy, RB

North Greenville enters 2026 picked to finish first in Conference Carolinas, so somebody from that roster damn sure belongs on this list.

I’m going with running back Jaden Shippy.

North Greenville has built itself into a very competitive football program, and Shippy gives them a player capable of carrying a significant part of the offensive load.

If North Greenville wins that conference championship, don’t be surprised if Shippy is a big reason why.

ERSKINE — Logan Coldren

Erskine is still building its football identity after bringing the program back, but Logan Coldren has already established himself as one of its better players.

Coldren earned second-team All-Conference Carolinas honors last season and gives the Flying Fleet a legitimate player to build around.

Programs don’t become successful overnight.

They do it by finding players like this and stacking recruiting classes around them.

ANDERSON — Keep An Eye on the Trojans

Anderson is still one of the newest football programs in the state, but I wanted them represented because this is supposed to be about college football in South Carolina, not just the schools everybody already knows.

The Trojans are building something, and this is exactly the type of program where a player can emerge quickly and suddenly become a name everybody in Division II football knows.

I’ll be watching Anderson closely to see who becomes that guy this season.