SEC program predicted to have ‘unlimited potential’ after signing No. 1 transfer portal class

Houston, TX, USA; Louisiana State Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin, left, stands next to Louisiana State Tigers athletic director Verge Ausberry, right, prior to the game against the Houston Cougars at NRG Stadium. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Lane Kiffin left Ole Miss for the LSU job on Nov. 30, 2025, just two days after the Rebels’ Egg Bowl win over Mississippi State, accepting a reported seven-year deal worth roughly $91 million.

Ole Miss later declined to allow Kiffin to coach the Rebels in the program’s first-ever College Football Playoff appearance following his departure, despite him leading the school to the most successful season in its history.

Defensive coordinator Pete Golding was elevated to lead Ole Miss through the postseason, bringing Kiffin’s tenure in Oxford to a close with a 55–19 record from 2020–25.

Even amid the controversy, Kiffin moved quickly to overhaul LSU’s roster in what became a seismic first transfer-portal window. His top additions include former Arizona State starting quarterback and No. 1 transfer QB Sam Leavitt, Colorado’s top offensive tackle Jordan Seaton, and Ole Miss’ leading pass rusher Princewill Umanmielen.

After the massive haul, ESPN’s Craig Haubert labeled LSU a program with “unlimited potential” and one “primed to make a CFP breakthrough,” citing the immediate talent influx.

"No one leverages the portal like Lane Kiffin. He left a playoff-bound Ole Miss team for LSU's seemingly unlimited potential for roster additions and immediately assembled the nation's top transfer class, landing three of the six best players available," Haubert wrote.

Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU new head coach Lane Kiffin speaks at South Stadium Club at Tiger Stadium. | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Aside from Leavitt, Seaton, and Umanmielen, Kiffin also added USC quarterback and former five-star recruit Husan Longstreet, Boise State All-Mountain West safety Ty Benefield, Florida All-SEC wide receiver Eugene Wilson III, and Tennessee edge rusher Jordan Ross, a former No. 1 EDGE prospect, through the transfer portal.

On the high school side, LSU closed the early signing period by landing the nation’s top defensive tackle, Lamar Brown, along with highly regarded defensive linemen Deuce Geralds and Richard Anderson, a physically imposing 345-pound interior presence. ESPN’s Craig Haubert noted that all three could be ready to contribute as true freshmen.

Other notable additions include four-star wide receiver Corey Barber, the No. 9-ranked receiver in the class, and four-star offensive tackle Brysen Martinez, the No. 9 OT nationally, according to 247Sports.

As a result, 247Sports ranked LSU’s 2026 recruiting class No. 11 nationally and its transfer portal class No. 1 overall, giving the Tigers immediate depth and top-end talent across the roster.

After a disappointing 7–6 finish capped by a Texas Bowl loss, Kiffin’s aggressive portal and recruiting approach have dramatically reshaped LSU’s near-term outlook — a necessary step for a program whose administration and fan base expect a rapid return to championship contention.

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