The Athletic’s latest quarterback rankings put Sam Leavitt right on the edge of the sport’s top shelf - and then some. The LSU quarterback checked in at No. 8 overall, giving him the final spot in Tier 1 of the outlet’s 2026 FBS quarterback list.
That top tier was reserved for what The Athletic called “The best of the best. They have a strong combination of proven production and elite traits and are among the Heisman Trophy frontrunners. Coaches want to build their teams around them.”
Leavitt landed there after a breakout 2024 at Arizona State, even though his final season in Tempe was shortened by a foot injury. The ranking still treated him like one of the most gifted quarterbacks in the country when healthy.
“He was arguably the best QB in the portal,” a Power 4 OC said. “He’s as cool as a cucumber with the game on the line.
… Throws an elite deep ball, is a really good athlete, super talented kid. You want to talk about competitive moxie?
That kid’s got it through the roof.”
Not everyone was fully sold, though. Some evaluators pointed to the way Leavitt left Arizona State, while an SEC front office staffer also questioned how much of his production came with strong help around him. His tendency to freelance was another concern that surfaced.
“I get really worried about him playing with a Superman cape on instead of just running the offense,” a Power 4 assistant said.
The scouting note attached to Leavitt was equally bullish on his physical tools. Nick Baumgardner wrote that the list of quarterbacks who have worked with Lane Kiffin is already strong, and said Leavitt will add to it immediately at LSU. Baumgardner described him as an impressive athlete with arm talent and movement skills that stack up with anyone in the class, while also noting the need to rein in his “YOLO throw” tendency.
Leavitt was one of eight quarterbacks in Tier 1. The full group, in order, was Trinidad Chambliss of Ole Miss, Dante Moore of Oregon, CJ Carr of Notre Dame, Darian Mensah of Miami, Julian Sayin of Ohio State, Drew Mestemaker of Oklahoma State, Arch Manning of Texas and Leavitt.
Tier 2 followed with quarterbacks The Athletic described as players who “have produced and teams win because of them,” but who may be a little more dependent on the situation around them or have one flaw that keeps them from joining the elite group. That tier included Jayden Maiava of USC, Noah Fifita of Arizona, Gunner Stockton of Georgia, Josh Hoover of Indiana, Marcel Reed of Texas A&M, Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele of Cal, Kevin Jennings of SMU and John Mateer of Oklahoma.
In Other News...
LSU Fans Have Waited For This Harlem Berry Moment
Harlem Berry arrived at LSU with the kind of pedigree that always brings a little extra noise, but the Louisiana native has already given Tigers fans a reason to believe the hype. Entering his sophomore year, the former five-star recruit is no longer just a name to circle on a roster sheet after an impactful first season that hinted at what he can become in Baton Rouge.
Now the question is how quickly that promise turns into a full-blown role in a backfield that still has plenty of moving parts. Berry is competing with Caden Durham and Wisconsin transfer Dilin Jones for carries, and his path to a bigger workload will depend on how LSU sorts out the running back rotation in Lane Kiffins offense with Charlie Weis Jr. calling the shots. [Read more 🡒]
LSU No. 47 Still Carries Weight For One Tigers Family
The number 47 has become a familiar sight around LSU, and for JD LaFleur it carries a family connection as much as a football one. The redshirt freshman tight end is wearing the same number his father, former LSU tight end David LaFleur, once wore, keeping a small but meaningful thread intact as he begins carving out his own place in the program.
For LSU, that number has also shown up in another sport, with Tommy White turning No. 47 into part of a memorable baseball run that ended with the Tigers winning the 2023 Mens College World Series before he reached the majors. On the football side, JD LaFleur is trying to make his mark in a crowded tight end room, and the next step in his LSU story will be about more than just the jersey on his back. [Read more 🡒]