LSU could have a pair of players in the mix for the 2027 NFL draft’s top spot, even if both are still listed as long shots.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid recently stacked up the names who could end up as the No. 1 overall pick next year, and while the obvious headliners were quarterbacks Dante Moore and Arch Manning, two Tigers showed up farther down the board: quarterback Sam Leavitt and left tackle Jordan Seaton.
Leavitt is the cleaner path to a huge rise. Quarterbacks on winning teams always get dragged into the first-pick conversation, and if he puts together a big season in Lane Kiffin’s offense, that buzz could get loud in a hurry.
Kiffin has already shown what he can do with the right quarterback, too. He pulled Trinidad Chambliss out of Division II and helped him produce 3,937 yards with 22 touchdowns to three interceptions at Ole Miss.
If Leavitt posts anything close to that kind of year, he won’t be hanging around outside the Top-10 for long.
The draft intrigue around Leavitt has been building for a while. Some people believed he might leave early after the attention he got from his 2024 season with the Arizona State Sun Devils, but he wasn’t ready for the league yet.
He stayed put, then endured a rough 2025 season with fewer weapons around him, injury issues and more. Declaring then never made much sense.
Now he gets a fresh start with Kiffin, and the mission is clear: flip the direction of his draft stock. Leavitt has the arm strength and athleticism to get there, but he still has to prove he can stay steady, accurate and in control of the offense.
Seaton’s road is different. He becomes a far more realistic No. 1 option if the team picking first already has its quarterback, with the Las Vegas Raiders offered as one example.
Even then, he would need a monster season because he is not currently projected to be in that conversation. Still, the path exists.
A top recruit coming out of high school, Seaton has long been known for his athletic ability. If that physical talent keeps translating into reliable offensive line play, LSU stands to benefit - and so would his draft case.
In Other News...
LSU Is Now Caught In A College Sports Fight That Wont Fade
The Protect College Sports Act was supposed to keep moving, but now it has been pushed into September after U.S. senators delayed a vote amid a crowded agenda and a fresh round of amendments requested by university and conference officials. For LSU, that means the larger fight over how college athletics should be governed is still very much alive, even as some of the sports biggest power brokers keep trying to shape the final version before it advances any further.
There is still plenty of resistance waiting when lawmakers return, and the bill could face more revisions before it gets another real chance. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise has already come out against it, even with major college athletic conferences backing the measure, which leaves the issue in the familiar limbo that has defined so much of the sports recent policy debate. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs QB Answer Under Lane Kiffin Comes With Real Doubt
Sam Leavitts arrival gives LSU a clear starting point for Lane Kiffins first season shaping the offense, and it comes at a moment when the Tigers badly need stability at quarterback. The former Arizona State signal-caller is in place for 2026, reportedly recovered from the foot injury that ended his 2025 season and getting ready to run an attack that should look very different under Kiffins direction.
Still, the early read around the SEC is far from unanimous, which is part of what makes this such a fascinating fit. Defensive coordinators are split on how Leavitt will translate in Baton Rouge, with some seeing a quarterback whose value comes from what he can create when plays break down and others questioning whether he fits the usual standard LSU expects at the position. [Read more 🡒]