$3.1 million college football QB named most ‘overrated’ transfer portal players

Lane Kiffin was announced as LSU’s head coach on November 30, an arrival that came with an aggressive roster-rebuild mandate and heavy activity in the transfer portal as LSU pursued an expedited turnaround.

LSU’s staff and outside coverage have described a high-volume portal strategy backed by a sizable NIL war chest, resources Kiffin has leaned on to attract top-tier transfer talent.

One of the most notable additions was Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt, a high-profile transfer-portal signal-caller who visited multiple programs before signing with LSU on January 12.

Leavitt entered the portal after a decorated run at Arizona State and a previous stop at Michigan State, and with two years of remaining eligibility, he was widely viewed as the top quarterback available in the transfer market.

However, that consensus was challenged on Thursday’s episode of the "Mostly Sports with Mark Titus & Brandon Walker" podcast, where Walker labeled Leavitt "the most overrated transfer portal quarterback" and sharply criticized his 2025 game tape.

"Sam Leavitt is universally looked on as the number one quarterback in the transfer portal... And to that I say, and with all due respect to everybody involved, how is Sam Leavitt the number one quarterback in the portal?"

"Last year, he won a lot of games for a very good team, but (Cam) Skattebo was carrying a lot of the load, and when Skattebo left, things kind of changed at Arizona State," Walker added. "Now, Leavitt fought injuries this year and only played seven games, but in those seven games, he topped 300 yards one time."

"I'm just a little surprised that Lane Kiffin, with all his transfer portal powers, ended up with this guy, and this guy is looked at as the number one prize. It baffles me."

Sam Leavitt is an overrated transfer portal quarterback @BFW pic.twitter.com/FCW9cZweJD
— Mostly Sports With Mark Titus & Brandon Walker (@mostlysports) January 15, 2026

Leavitt is from West Linn, Oregon, and was a highly regarded four-star high school prospect and the No. 18 quarterback in the 2023 class, according to 247Sports.

He originally committed to Michigan State before transferring to Arizona State ahead of the 2024 season.

In his first year with the Sun Devils, Leavitt led the program to an 11–3 record, a Big 12 championship, and a College Football Playoff appearance, finishing with 2,885 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, six interceptions, and a 61.7% completion rate, while adding 443 rushing yards and five rushing scores.

However, Leavitt’s 2025 season was cut short by a foot/ankle injury after seven games, as he finished with 1,628 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, three interceptions, and a 60.7% completion rate, along with 306 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.

Even with the injury-shortened season, Leavitt remains one of the sport’s most marketable players, carrying an estimated NIL valuation of roughly $3.1 million, ranking fifth among all college athletes.

Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt. — Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) against the Houston Cougars at Mountain America Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Leavitt drew interest from several other Power Five programs, most notably Miami, Tennessee, and Kentucky, but LSU ultimately made sense for a few key reasons.

Those included Kiffin’s offensive system and track record of quickly integrating transfer quarterbacks, LSU’s immediate need at the position following opt-outs and departures, and the program’s significant financial and NIL resources paired with a national platform.

From Kiffin’s perspective, Leavitt offered a quarterback with proven starting experience, legitimate dual-threat ability, and two years of remaining eligibility, a ready-made piece in an accelerated roster rebuild.

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