LSU’s 2026 roster under Lane Kiffin is going to look different in a lot of places, and the biggest name attached to that overhaul is quarterback Sam Leavitt.
The transfer portal’s top prospect is already drawing national attention, and The Athletic slotted him near the top of its quarterback tiers. Leavitt landed in Tier 1 at No. 8 overall, making him the third-highest-ranked SEC passer behind Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss at No. 1 and Texas’ Arch Manning at No. 7.
The Athletic’s Tier 1 label is reserved for “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 is also carrying some of the better Heisman odds in the sport at +2500. His spring was interrupted by an injury that kept him out during his second season at Arizona State, but the expectation is that he’ll be healthy when fall camp opens and ready for his first run in purple and gold.
Leavitt’s path to LSU has already included stops at Michigan State and Arizona State. After one season with the Spartans, he transferred to Arizona State and helped push the Sun Devils into the College Football Playoffs in 2024. He threw for 2,885 yards and 24 touchdowns that season.
LSU has not reached the 12-team playoff since the format began, and the Tigers are hoping Leavitt can be the quarterback who helps change that.
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The opener against Clemson will offer an early measuring stick, but the bigger question hanging over Baton Rouge is how quickly the new pieces can settle in around quarterback Sam Leavitt and the rest of the offense. LSU has the look of a team built to chase a long postseason run, yet the difference between being merely intriguing and truly dangerous may come down to how one unsettled preseason issue gets answered once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]