LSU’s 2026 season is going to lean heavily on a handful of difference-makers, and the Tigers’ offseason haul has given Lane Kiffin plenty to work with. With camp underway and the opener against Clemson on the horizon, a few names already stand out as the ones most likely to shape how far this team can go.
At the center of it all is quarterback Sam Leavitt, the Arizona State transfer who arrives as one of the most prominent additions to the program. Leavitt is expected to take control of the offense right away, giving LSU a new trigger man who can help unlock scoring from both the receiver and running back groups.
He’s been ranked as the No. 5 quarterback in the SEC entering the season, and the expectation is that he can settle into Kiffin’s fast-paced system and help deliver the kind of production this offense needs. The real test starts now: he has to build that identity with his new teammates before the opener against Clemson, and camp reps are where that process has to show up.
One of the clearest early signs came from his connection with tight end Trey’Dez Green. That pairing has already drawn attention this month in camp, with the two showing a quick rhythm on short throws and in the way Green can work like a receiver.
At 6'7, he can go up and snatch the ball over defenders, and that kind of mismatch is exactly why he matters so much. Green is the No. 1-ranked tight end in the country, and with his final season at LSU ahead of him, he’ll be one of the most watched players on the roster.
He’ll also be doing it in the No. 7 jersey, one of the highest honors an LSU player can wear.
Another major piece of the offensive puzzle is tackle Jordan Seaton, the Colorado transfer who may not touch the ball but can still swing the scoreboard. Seaton is the No. 1-ranked offensive lineman in the portal and the No. 4 player overall, and LSU is counting on him to help clear the way for Leavitt. After a major transformation this spring, he’s already showing signs that he can stand up to SEC fronts and give the quarterback the extra time and space needed to turn this offense into a serious scoring threat.
On the defensive side, senior linebacker Whit Weeks brings the kind of edge that can wreck an opponent’s rhythm. He’s an explosive player who gets around the offensive line quickly, and his camp work has already shown the kind of physical presence that makes him hard to miss.
The description fits him perfectly: a linebacker with that classic rip someone's head off mentality. He’s entering his final year with LSU, is expected to have his best season yet, and will do it while wearing the No. 7 jersey and carrying a spot on award watch lists.
The other defensive name to keep front and center is Princewill Umanmielen, the Ole Miss transfer who adds another elite piece to Kiffin’s offseason transfer class. Last season with the Rebels, he posted 18 solo tackles, nine sacks, and one interception, and he’s the kind of edge presence that can make life miserable for quarterbacks. Now in purple and gold and working under defensive coordinator Blake Baker, Umanmielen is set up to face some of the same opponents again, only this time as one of LSU’s most important defensive weapons.
In Other News...
LSU Just Made A No. 18 Choice Fans Will Debate
LSUs latest nod to its locker-room standards came with a familiar kind of weight, as center Braelin Moore was chosen to carry the No. 18 tradition into this season. The honor has long been reserved for players who embody leadership and selflessness, and it remains one of the programs more meaningful internal markers. Moore is only the second offensive lineman to earn the distinction, which says plenty about how the Tigers view his role beyond the line of scrimmage.
Because of NCAA numbering rules, Moore will wear a patch representing No. 18 rather than the number itself, but the symbolism is still the point. The tradition dates back to quarterback Matt Mauck and has been passed along to players whose value shows up in the huddle, in the meeting room and in the way teammates respond to them. For LSU, the selection is another reminder that some of its biggest expectations are measured less by statistics than by the standard a player sets every day. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Just Made A No. 18 Choice Fans Will Read Into
LSU added a familiar bit of symbolism to its roster this week by honoring Braelin Moore with the No. 18 jersey, a number reserved for the Tiger who best reflects leadership and character. Moore, a fifth-year senior center, will keep wearing No. 61 on game day because of NCAA numbering rules, but the patch attached to his uniform carries real meaning around the program.
The choice is notable for another reason: it is only the second time an LSU offensive lineman has received the honor, following Lloyd Cushenberry in 2019. For a position group that usually gets its praise in quieter ways, the gesture says plenty about how Moore is viewed inside the program and why this one figures to resonate with fans who pay attention to the details. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffin Is Fueling A Debate LSU Fans Can't Ignore
Lane Kiffin is back in the conversation around LSU, but this time it has nothing to do with play-calling or the transfer portal. He appears as the villain in a new Dr. Pepper "Fansville" commercial set to air this football season, another reminder that his image still carries plenty of edge in college football circles and plenty of baggage for fans who remember his Ole Miss days well.
The timing makes the spot especially hard for LSU fans to ignore, because the Tigers have just added former NFL players DaaQuan Wright and Zxavian Harris after both were cut and then entered the transfer portal. Both players once played for Kiffin at Ole Miss before he took over at LSU, which gives the commercial a little extra irony for a fan base still sorting through how to view its coachs old ties. [Read more 🡒]