No. 1 Transfer Portal Player Faces 'Significant Pressure' Entering 2026 Season

The NCAA transfer portal cycle wreaked chaos throughout the college football landscape during the month of January.

Thousands of entrants from every level of college football poured into the portal in search of new horizons in 2026. The group of Power Four starting quarterbacks on the move stole the headlines; starters such as Josh Hoover, Brendan Sorsby and DJ Lagway all departed from previous schools to new destinations.

The first quarterback that decided to enter the portal was former Arizona State starter Sam Leavitt, who committed to LSU. He has two seasons of college eligibility remaining with the Tigers.

Leavitt comes to LSU as the No. 1 prospect in the 2026 portal cycle, which will create lofty expectations for him as the Tigers' starter. Brad Crawford of CBS Sports ranked Leavitt as the No. 8 Power Four quarterback in 2026, noting the pressure surrounding him this season.

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"At his best, Leavitt stars when the pocket breaks down, and he freelances a bit," Crawford wrote. "He is responsible for 46 career touchdowns and faces significant pressure to perform as the portal's No. 1 player in Baton Rouge."

Before LSU

Sam Leavitt during the 2024 Big 12 Championship. — Arizona State Sun Devils running back Cam Skattebo (4) and offensive lineman Leif Fautanu (79) and quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

LSU marks the third college football program Leavitt will play for in four seasons. The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder began his career at Michigan State under Mel Tucker in 2023, completing 15 of 23 pass attempts for 139 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions over the course of four games. Tucker was dismissed early in the season over an off-field issue, and Leavitt entered the portal for the first time that offseason.

Leavitt committed to Arizona State out of the portal in 2024. In his first season with the Sun Devils, Leavitt threw for 2,885 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions and ran for 443 yards and five touchdowns, all while leading them to their first Big 12 Championship victory and College Football Playoff appearance. The Big 12 named Leavitt its Freshman of the Year and to the All-Big 12 Second Team.

Through seven games in 2025, Leavitt threw for 1,628 yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions and ran for 306 yards and five more touchdowns. Following Arizona State's loss to Houston, Leavitt was sidelined for the final five games of the 2025 season due to a Lisfranc injury.

A few weeks prior to the end of the 2025 regular season, reports began to surface that those close to Leavitt were actively shopping him around to other college football programs. He declared his intent to enter the portal shortly after the regular season's conclusion.