Lane Kiffin’s late-night Knoxville trip pays off as LSU lands No. 1 transfer portal quarterback

Jeff Hauser

•
Lane Kiffin’s late-night Knoxville trip pays off as LSU lands No. 1 transfer portal quarterback image

Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt is expected to commit to LSU, giving Lane Kiffin a top-tier signal caller from the transfer portal, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel. 

Leavitt entered the portal as the No. 1 ranked available player and emerged as one of the most coveted quarterbacks in the country. LSU fended off late pushes from Miami, Tennessee, and Kentucky to secure his verbal pledge. Kiffin reportedly made a trip to Knoxville, Tenn. Over the weekend to seal the deal. 

The 6-foot-2, 205-pound quarterback visited Baton Rouge last Monday and stayed through Wednesday, spending extended time with the coaching staff after completing four official visits across a six-day span.

More: Fernando Mendoza's family ties to Mario Cristobal run deep with Miami 

Leavitt’s 2025 season at Arizona State was cut short in late October due to a foot injury. Despite missing time, he threw for 1,628 yards and 10 touchdowns with just three interceptions, while adding 306 rushing yards and five scores. As ASU’s starter, Leavitt went 6-1 against ranked opponents.

Leavitt underwent foot surgery in early November and is expected to require a minimum six-month recovery timeline. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

More: LSU's offer to QB Brendan Sorsby wasn't close to what Texas Tech offered

His commitment comes after LSU narrowly missed on former Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby, whose reported $4.5 million NIL offer from LSU was topped by Texas Tech at more than $5 million.

More college football news: 

Editorial Team