New LSU coach Lane Kiffin finally has his quarterback for 2026.
Kiffin’s winding search for a transfer quarterback came to an end Monday morning as former Arizona State standout Sam Leavitt committed to the Tigers. The school announced Leavitt’s arrival in a social media post Monday night.
Committed to The Boot
Welcome to Baton Rouge @S_leav10 pic.twitter.com/zNiGWksiDH
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) January 13, 2026
Leavitt, the No. 2 player in The Athletic’s transfer quarterback rankings, gives Kiffin’s LSU squad a major centerpiece to build around for the coming season. One Power 4 general manager whose team was in the transfer quarterback market told The Athletic he believed Leavitt was the most talented of any quarterback in the transfer portal.
The urgency in LSU’s pursuit of Leavitt picked up after Washington quarterback Demond Williams, who was rumored to be targeted by LSU, announced last Thursday that he will return to the Huskies in 2026. That reversal happened just two days after Williams announced he intended to enter the transfer portal, even though he had signed a contract to return to Washington in 2026 days earlier.
Williams’ initial announcement happened while Leavitt was on an official visit to LSU on Tuesday, and Leavitt was spotted with Kiffin at an LSU basketball game. After visiting LSU, Leavitt made official visits to Tennessee and Miami.
At LSU, the hope is that Leavitt reverts to the form he showed in 2024, when he led Arizona State to a Big 12 championship and College Football Playoff berth. In that season, Leavitt threw for 2,885 yards, 24 touchdowns and only six interceptions while rushing for 443 yards and five touchdowns.
He dazzled in the Sun Devils’ CFP quarterfinal game against Texas, showing off his ability to throw on the run, scramble and escape pressure against a high-level defense. Arizona State lost to the Longhorns 39-31 in overtime.
In 2025, Leavitt was nagged by a foot injury that eventually required season-ending surgery. The Sun Devils went 5-2 in games he started, and he engineered an upset of eventual Big 12 champion Texas Tech with a 319-yard passing performance that included a 75-yard game-winning touchdown drive in the final two minutes.
Weeks after his surgery, news of Leavitt’s possible departure from Tempe began to surface, and a program source at that time deemed Leavitt unlikely to return to the Sun Devils for 2026.
LSU was in dire need of a quarterback upon Kiffin’s arrival. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU’s starter of the last two years, is out of eligibility. Michael Van Buren transferred to USF and Colin Hurley is in the transfer portal. LSU, which did not sign a 2026 high school quarterback recruit, also added quarterback Landen Clark, a transfer from Elon, on Sunday.
How Leavitt fits at LSU
For Kiffin’s offense, Leavitt is an ideal fit. He’s a quick processor with a live arm. He’s dangerous when scrambling and creates explosive plays outside the pocket. Plus, he doesn’t lack confidence, which should mesh well with Kiffin’s personality.
At 6 feet 2, 205 pounds, Leavitt is bigger than Trinidad Chambliss (6-0, 200) but not quite the size of Jaxson Dart, who checked in at 6-2, 225. Leavitt is a true dual threat who, if at full strength, is likely to put up a stat line that resembles the one Chambliss has had this season: more than 3,000 passing yards and 500-plus rushing yards with a good touchdown-to-interception ratio.
The Tigers have loaded up at receiver in the portal, so Leavitt will have a talented supporting cast with transfer receivers Jayce Brown (Kansas State), Eugene Wilson III (Florida), Tre Brown (Old Dominion) and Jackson Harris (Hawaii). Getting Leavitt on board gives Kiffin a big boost to the transfer class and his pursuit of a CFP berth in 2026.
