$3.1 million QB named No. 1 returning quarterback in college football

The NCAA transfer portal is finally reaching the end of its two-week window for college football players to enter in hopes of finding better situations for next season. The portal officially opened on Jan. 2 and is closing at midnight on Friday.

Several thousand players from across the college football landscape entered the portal following the end of the 2025 season. Some of the more marquee entries in the 2026 cycle included quarterbacks on the move around the Power Four ranks.

The first of these quarterbacks to announce his decision to enter the NCAA transfer portal was former Arizona State signal-caller Sam Leavitt. He committed to LSU on Monday and will have two seasons of eligibility with the Tigers.

The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder began his college football journey at Michigan State under Mel Tucker in 2023. He appeared in a maximum of four games to maintain a redshirt, completing 15 of 23 pass attempts for 139 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions while rushing for another 67 yards. Tucker was fired in the middle of the season, and Leavitt entered the transfer portal after the season ended.

ASU Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Leavitt transferred to Arizona State in the 2024 offseason. He threw for 2,885 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions to go with 443 yards and five touchdowns and guided the Sun Devils to a Big 12 Championship victory and their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance.

The Big 12 recognized Leavitt with multiple honors in the 2024 season. He was named Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year and earned All-Big 12 Second Team distinction. The 3,328 total yards are the most by a freshman in Arizona State program history.

An injury cut Leavitt's 2025 season to seven games. He passed for 1,628 yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions while rushing for 306 yards and five touchdowns. Following rumblings that the people near him were actively shopping him around toward the end of the season, Leavitt entered the transfer portal.

Upon entry, Leavitt was immediately considered one of the top prospects in the portal by Power Four programs. Cody Bellaire of Rivals asked an anonymous college football general manager in the Power Four ranks for the five best returning quarterbacks in 2026. At the top of the list was none other than new LSU starter Sam Leavitt.

Asked a P4 GM to give me his top 5 QB’s returning to college football next season.

Here was his list:

1. Sam Leavitt (LSU)
2. Dante Moore (Oregon)
3. Arch Manning (Texas)
4. Brendan Sorsby (Texas Tech)
5. Byrum Brown (Auburn)

Thoughts?
— Cody Bellaire (@CodyBellaire) January 15, 2026

Leavitt was the quarterback LSU acquired as its starter for 2026, but Lane Kiffin has been active in bringing in quarterbacks to deepen the room. Husan Longstreet (USC) and Landen Clark (Elon) were both added to the room to back up Leavitt, but the two will likely compete for the starting job down the road.