Sources: LSU likely adding QB Leavitt from portal

LSU is expected to sign Arizona State transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel on Monday.

Leavitt, the No. 2 quarterback and top uncommitted player in ESPN’s transfer rankings, chose to play for new coach Lane Kiffin and the Tigers after also taking visits to Miami, Tennessee and Kentucky.

It’s a significant recruiting victory for Kiffin and an LSU program in need of a proven starting quarterback after Garrett Nussmeier graduated and backup Michael Van Buren Jr. transferred to South Florida.

Leavitt, the Big 12’s preseason Offensive Player of the Year, has thrown for 4,652 yards, rushed for 816 yards and scored 46 total touchdowns with 11 interceptions in his career between two years at Arizona State and one at Michigan State.

The 6-foot-2, 205-pound redshirt sophomore led the Sun Devils to a Big 12 championship and a College Football Playoff appearance during his first season in the program in 2024, earning Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year and second-team all-conference honors.

His second year with the Sun Devils was cut short by a foot injury that lingered for weeks and required season-ending surgery.

Leavitt produced 1,628 passing yards, 306 rushing yards and 15 total touchdowns and three interceptions on the year, and won five of his seven starts, including an upset of eventual Big 12 champion Texas Tech.

Kiffin brought Leavitt in for an official visit on Monday after Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby, ESPN’s No. 1 ranked transfer quarterbacks, chose Texas Tech over LSU.

When reports emerged during Leavitt’s visit that LSU was targeting Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr., Leavitt continued his recruiting process by taking visits to Tennessee and Miami.

Leavitt visited the Hurricanes this weekend following their College Football Playoff semifinal victory over Ole Miss. Kiffin flew to Knoxville and met with Leavitt before he departed for his official visit to Miami.

Williams ultimately decided to stay at Washington on Thursday after initially announcing on social media he planned to enter the transfer portal. Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss also announced he plans to return in 2026 if he’s granted an additional year of eligibility, though his waiver request was denied by the NCAA.

Nussmeier graduating and backups Van Buren and Colin Hurley exiting via the transfer portal left the Tigers with no returning scholarship quarterbacks entering Kiffin’s first year in Baton Rouge. The Tigers landed a commitment from Elon transfer Landen Clark on Sunday.

LSU has secured commitments from 25 incoming transfers under Kiffin and his new staff, including nine new wide receivers for Leavitt led by Winston Watkins (Ole Miss), Jayce Brown (Kansas State) and Eugene Wilson III (Florida).