Pro Football Focus has put together its top 50 players entering the 2026 college football season, and LSU landed three names on the list.
Sam Leavitt came in first among the Tigers at No. 41, with Jordan Seaton right behind him at No. 43 and Trey'Dez Green checking in at No. 49.
Leavitt’s spot comes with plenty of expectation attached. PFF gave the LSU quarterback a 2025 grade of 76.4 and noted that he’ll be carrying the load as the face of LSU’s rebuilt offense.
Even with a down year by his own standards, Leavitt still showed off the kind of tools that make him so hard to deal with. He finished among the nation’s top 10 in big-time throw rate at 6.9%, and over the last two seasons he has piled up 39 explosive runs.
Seaton earned his place on the strength of his pass protection. PFF listed the LSU offensive tackle with a 2025 grade of 65.8 and called him arguably the best pass protector in college football.
His 84.1 pass-blocking grade last season led all Big 12 tackles and ranked 11th among qualified FBS tackles. He gave up only seven pressures and two sacks.
His run blocking still has room to grow, but LSU should have plenty of chances to feature him in what PFF described as a potentially explosive offense.
Green rounds out LSU’s trio at No. 49, and his profile is built on production and matchup problems. PFF gave the tight end a 2025 grade of 75.0 and highlighted his size and skill set as a serious challenge for defenses.
In 2025, he caught seven touchdowns and finished with 12 contested catches, both of which ranked second among all tight ends. With more exposure in Lane Kiffin’s offense, PFF believes Green could thrive downfield and put himself in the mix for the John Mackey Award.
At the top of the list, PFF placed Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State at No. 1.
The rest of the top 10 featured Leonard Moore of Notre Dame at No. 2, Colin Simmons of Texas at No.
3, Julian Sayin of Ohio State at No. 4, Malachi Toney of Miami (FL) at No.
5, Ahmad Hardy of Missouri at No. 6, Dante Moore of Oregon at No.
7, Carter Smith of Indiana at No. 8, Arch Manning of Texas at No. 9 and Kewan Lacy of Mississippi at No.
In Other News...
LSU Just Won Another Big In-State Battle In The Secondary
LSUs push to stay ahead of the curve in the secondary picked up another important in-state win, and this one fits the long view the staff has been selling. The Tigers have been working not just on the upcoming season, but on the 2027 cycle as well, and adding a highly regarded Louisiana defensive back keeps that pipeline moving in the right direction.
The latest commitment also gives LSU a chance to think beyond the immediate depth chart. The prospect arrives with plenty of room to grow and should have time to develop before he is asked to make a real impact, and there is at least some built-in familiarity around the program with his brother already on the roster. For a team trying to stack talent in the state and keep the secondary stocked for years to come, it is the kind of move that can pay off in more ways than one. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Opener Already Has Clemson Facing Massive Pressure
Clemsons season opener against LSU is already carrying the kind of weight that usually comes later in the fall, with ESPN and ACC Network analyst EJ Manuel calling it a must-win game for the Tigers playoff hopes. With LSU on the other sideline, the matchup gives Clemson an early chance to build a rsum that could matter plenty if the ACC schedule gets messy down the line, and it also arrives with plenty of attention on how the offense will look under returning coordinator Chad Morris.
The quarterback picture is part of why the buildup feels so unsettled. Christopher Vizzina is viewed as the favorite to start, but Tait Reynolds is considered a real challenger, and Clemsons decision not to send a quarterback to ACC Kickoff only added to the sense that the competition is still open. For a team trying to make a statement right away, the opener now feels like more than just a high-profile game - it is also an early test of how quickly Clemson can settle its most important position. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Running Back Battle Just Took A Frustrating New Turn
LSUs running back room has become one of the more interesting parts of the roster heading into the fall, and not just because of the names on it. Dilin Jones arrives from Wisconsin with a rsum that includes seven starts, 300 rushing yards and two touchdowns before a toe injury ended his season, while Caden Durham and Harlem Berry both bring their own flashes from last year. Add in the extra portal help LSU brought in, and there is no shortage of bodies for a staff that wants competition to sort out the depth chart.
Still, the frustration comes from how hard it is to know what the Tigers will actually get once the games start. Durham never topped 70 rushing yards in any of LSUs final nine games after his 95-yard outing against Florida, and Berrys best moments were often swallowed up by game flow, including the Texas A&M matchup when he was rolling before the run game faded from the plan. Lane Kiffins approach is to give everyone a fresh chance, but for LSU, the real question is whether that reset leads to clarity or just a longer wait for answers. [Read more 🡒]