Sam Leavitt: Potential High Pick in NFL Draft
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Arizona State's 2025 campaign is officially here.
The Sun Devils are set to begin regular season tonight against Northern Arizona with many headlines surrounding the program - from being ranked 11th in the AP Poll, to Kenny Dillingham's rise to the elite coaches in college football.
One of the other major storylines that will follow Kenny Dillingham's team this season is the potential NFL futures of multiple star players, including redshirt sophomore Sam Leavitt.
Leavitt enters the 2025 season as one of the highest-regarded players in the nation, regardless of position, with several respected figures even labeling the 20-year-old as a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender.
The respect has extended to next April's NFL draft, where there is potential to be as many as seven teams that need a quarterback.
Longtime ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. is one of the many respected figures in the industry who has shown Leavitt due respect - the former believes that the latter has the potential to be selected on day one of the draft come April.
More from Kiper below:
"Here are some names to watch as potential first-rounders, in no particular order: LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina), Drew Allar (Penn State), Cade Klubnik (Clemson), Garrett Nussmeier (LSU), Sam Leavitt (Arizona State), Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) and Nico Iamaleava (UCLA). That's seven guys, and Manning makes eight. I'd bet six of them go in the first 32 picks."
Leavitt is frequently grouped in the same tier as the player above as both at the collegiate level and as a potential pro prospect.
While the Michigan State transfer is considered just 'adequate' when it comes to height (6'2"), he possesses virtually everything necessary on paper to be a high-level prospect - from having a big arm, to being very strong out of structure, to being a well-above-average athlete.
Beyond the surface, Leavitt is an incredible leader as well. The Oregon native has made numerous demonstrations of leadership, the most impressive of which has arguably been donating his NIL merchandise earnings back to his teammates in a sign of true goodwill.
Leavitt very well can become the first Arizona State quarterback to be selected on day one of the NFL draft - the next several months will determine as much, one way or the other.
Read more on the case for Leavitt to be an All-American selection at season's end here, and if Kenny Dillingham has any built-in recruiting advantages in his role here.
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Kevin Hicks is an Arizona State alumni and now serves as the Arizona State Beat Writer On SI.