Top portal QB Sam Leavitt to sign with LSU

By Hunt Palmer

Lane Kiffin got his quarterback.

Leavitt’s Baton Rouge exit was messy last week, but after trips to Knoxville and Miami, Leavitt circled back to LSU where he’s expected to pilot Kiffin’s first LSU offense according to Pete Thamel of ESPN. LouisianaSports.net has confirmed the report.

Sources: Arizona State transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt is expected to sign with LSU. 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. pic.twitter.com/sAol6XDodc

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 12, 2026

The former Sun Devil signal caller started for two years in Tempe, leading the team to the College Football Playoff in 2024.

Injuries hampered and eventually cut his 2025 season short, and he underwent Lisfranc surgery on his foot near the end of October.

Leavitt started 20 games at Arizona State and set a school record for total offense as a freshman in 2024. That earned him Big 12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year. Over the two seasons, he completed 61% of his passes for 4,513 yards and 34 scores against just nine interceptions.

He also added 743 yards on the ground and 10 more touchdowns.

Two of Leavitt’s best performances came in the biggest games. In 2025, the Sun Devils were the only team to knock off Texas Tech in the regular season. Leavitt threw for 319 yards and a touchdown against the Red Raiders’ top five defense. A season ago in the Big 12 title game against Iowa State, he threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score to clinch a CFP berth.

Sam Leavitt takes it himself for the touchdown after the Sun Devils go for it on fourth down in their own territory 😯

📺: ABC pic.twitter.com/Z4bGCFGmNX

— ESPN (@espn) December 7, 2024

On3 ranks the 6-foot-2 Oregon native as the top overall player in the transfer portal.

The foot surgery is expected to keep Leavitt out of spring practice entirely with a return for fall camp likely. Adding Leavitt to the addition of Elon quarterback Landen Clark gives the Tigers a little bit of depth.

The starter is the most important piece, and LSU has hit on the position that was most necessary. Leavitt, when healthy, has all the tools to pilot Kiffin’s high-powered offense at LSU.

Tension built as LSU missed on Trinidad Chambliss, Brendan Sorsby and then, likely, on Williams. Options started to dwindle, but Kiffin’s persistence paid.