No. 1 transfer portal QB clearly linked to two major college football programs

Arizona State finished the 2025 season 8–5 (6–3 Big 12) and closed with a narrow 42–39 Sun Bowl loss to Duke, capping a year that followed the program’s breakthrough 2024 run, which included an 11–3 finish and a College Football Playoff appearance.

Head coach Kenny Dillingham returned an offense built around quarterback Sam Leavitt, who appeared in just seven games before a lingering foot/leg injury required season-ending surgery on October 31, abruptly ending his second season in Tempe.

Through those seven games, he completed 145-of-239 passes (60.7%) for 1,628 passing yards, 10 TDs, and three INTs (129.2 passer rating) and added 73 rushes for 306 yards and five rushing TDs.

Leavitt originally committed to Michigan State in 2023 as a four-star prospect and the No. 21 quarterback in the 2023 class per the 247Sports Composite, spending one season with the Spartans before transferring to Arizona State ahead of the 2024 campaign.

He quickly established himself as the Sun Devils’ starter, throwing for 2,885 yards with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions during his first full season in 2024, adding 443 rushing yards and five rushing scores.

However, Leavitt informed Arizona State of his intention to enter the transfer portal on December 15 and is widely viewed as the top quarterback expected to hit the market when the window opens, classified as a redshirt sophomore with two seasons of eligibility remaining.

On Wednesday, On3 analyst J.D. PicKell identified Oregon and LSU as the two programs generating the most “buzz” around Leavitt, framing the decision as a balance between a homecoming and scheme fit at Oregon and an SEC, development-first opportunity under Lane Kiffin at LSU.

"The intel from Pete Nakos is pointing to two horses being in the race for Sam Leavitt right now, and that's Oregon and LSU... I personally am under the belief that Dante Moore will go back to Oregon for another season, which then points to Sam Leavitt ending up at LSU. That to me makes the most sense from a fit perspective."

"He (Leavitt) thrived in an RPO offense at Arizona State. You don't need to reinvent the wheel. You don't need to go prove something drastically different and go seek out an NFL offense. Just go play against better competition in the SEC. Go play for a guy in Lane Kiffin who has specialized in bringing in transfer players and elevating them at a really high level."

"If I'm Lane Kiffin, this is my number one guy. I am calling him as soon as the transfer portal opens for business," PicKell added.

LSU new head coach Lane Kiffin. — LSU head coach Lane Kiffin, left, and LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry greet each other | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Leavitt is an Oregon native and would be returning to a program that runs a high-tempo, RPO/shot-yardage offense that can incorporate his dual-threat skillset, though uncertainty surrounding Dante Moore clouds an immediate starting opportunity.

Meanwhile, at LSU, Lane Kiffin has a proven track record of maximizing transfer quarterbacks, most notably Ole Miss' Trinidad Chambliss and current NFL QB Jaxson Dart, while consistently producing pro-level film against elite SEC competition, an appealing path for Leavitt as he returns from injury seeking development and exposure.

LSU also presents a clear roster need: starter Garrett Nussmeier is expected to depart after five seasons in the program, and backup Michael Van Buren Jr. has limited game experience, creating an immediate starting opportunity for Leavitt.

As the process unfolds, Leavitt’s decision is shaping up to be a choice between immediate SEC exposure and an opportunity at LSU, or a regional and schematic fit at Oregon that could offer greater continuity.

The transfer portal window opens Friday and runs through January 16, with Leavitt rumored to command up to $5 million in NIL compensation, a valuation that would rank among the highest in college football.

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