Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers have been aggressively searching for a new starting quarterback for the 2026 college football season.
With Garrett Nussmeier on his way out of Baton Rouge, the urgency was rising for LSU to find his replacement. Now, Kiffin and company know who their quarterback will be for next season.
According to a report from ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel, the Tigers are set to sign Arizona State transfer portal quarterback Sam Leavitt.
“Sources: Arizona State transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt is expected to sign with LSU,” Thamel wrote on X. “Leavitt’s pick comes after trips to Kentucky, Tennessee and Miami. He led ASU to the College Football Playoff in 2024 and has 4,652 career passing yards and 36 touchdowns.”
Leavitt has been LSU’s perceived top target for quite awhile now. While the Tigers dealt with some competition from other schools, they persevered and now have landed their guy.
What Are the LSU Tigers Getting in Sam Leavitt?
Heading into the 2026 season, Leavitt will have a chance to get back on track. After a significant foot injury ended his 2025 campaign early with Arizona State, he’ll look to get back to being the rising star quarterback he was in 2024.
During that special 2024 campaign with the Sun Devils, Leavitt completed 61.7 percent of his pass attempts for 2,885 yards, 24 touchdowns, and six interceptions, while also running for 443 yards and five more scores. His production helped lead Arizona State to the College Football Playoff.
GettyThe LSU Tigers have landed transfer portal quarterback Sam Leavitt.
Last season before suffering the injury, Leavitt had completed 60.7 percent of his passes for 1,628 yards, 10 touchdowns, and three interceptions in seven games. He also chipped in with 306 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
There is a lot of untapped potential left for Leavitt. Playing for a head coach like Kiffin will give him a great chance of unlocking that talent.
On the outside looking in, Leavitt will have a chance for a massive breakout year. He has the talent and ability to be a breakout star for LSU in 2026.
How Has the Transfer Portal Treated LSU So Far?
Since taking over as the head coach of the Tigers, Kiffin has been dealing with some adversity. As is the case with any coaching change, quite a few players have decided to leave LSU.
In total, the Tigers have lost 33 players to the transfer portal. However, Kiffin has been able to go out and bring in 24 new players via the portal.
Some of the losses to the portal include wide receiver CJ Daniels, tight end Ka’Morreun Pimpton, defensive lineman Da’Shawn Womack, defensive back Jyaire Brown, running back Kaleb Jackson, and quarterback Rickie Collins.
Being able to land Leavitt is a huge boost to what has been a rollercoaster offseason thus far. Kiffin has put himself in a position where he has a legitimate shot at taking the program up a notch in his first season as head coach.
If Leavitt can live up to his full potential, the Tigers could be a team to watch next season. More work needs to be done, but this is a huge day for LSU.
LSU, Lane Kiffin Make Huge Splash Portal Move for 36-TD Quarterback