$3.1 Million College Football Qb Named Most ‘overrated’ Transfer Portal Players

Lane Kiffin was announced arsenic LSU’s caput coach connected November 30, an presence that came pinch an fierce roster-rebuild instruction and dense activity successful nan transportation portal arsenic LSU pursued an expedited turnaround.

LSU’s unit and extracurricular sum person described a high-volume portal strategy backed by a sizable NIL warfare chest, resources Kiffin has leaned connected to pull top-tier transportation talent.

One of nan astir notable additions was Arizona State backmost Sam Leavitt, a high-profile transfer-portal signal-caller who visited aggregate programs earlier signing pinch LSU connected January 12.

Leavitt entered nan portal aft a dressed up tally astatine Arizona State and a erstwhile extremity astatine Michigan State, and pinch 2 years of remaining eligibility, he was wide viewed arsenic nan apical backmost disposable successful nan transportation market.

However, that statement was challenged connected Thursday’s section of the "Mostly Sports pinch Mark Titus & Brandon Walker" podcast, wherever Walker branded Leavitt "the astir overrated transportation portal quarterback" and sharply criticized his 2025 crippled tape.

"Sam Leavitt is universally looked connected arsenic nan number 1 backmost successful nan transportation portal... And to that I say, and pinch each owed respect to everybody involved, really is Sam Leavitt nan number 1 backmost successful nan portal?"

"Last year, he won a batch of games for a very bully team, but (Cam) Skattebo was carrying a batch of nan load, and erstwhile Skattebo left, things benignant of changed astatine Arizona State," Walker added. "Now, Leavitt fought injuries this twelvemonth and only played 7 games, but successful those 7 games, he topped 300 yards 1 time."

"I'm conscionable a small amazed that Lane Kiffin, pinch each his transportation portal powers, ended up pinch this guy, and this feline is looked astatine arsenic nan number 1 prize. It baffles me."

Leavitt is from West Linn, Oregon, and was a highly regarded four-star precocious schoolhouse imaginable and nan No. 18 backmost successful nan 2023 class, according to 247Sports. 

He primitively committed to Michigan State earlier transferring to Arizona State up of nan 2024 season.

In his first twelvemonth pinch nan Sun Devils, Leavitt led nan programme to an 11–3 record, a Big 12 championship, and a College Football Playoff appearance, finishing pinch 2,885 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, six interceptions, and a 61.7% completion rate, while adding 443 rushing yards and 5 rushing scores.

However, Leavitt’s 2025 play was trim short by a foot/ankle wounded aft 7 games, arsenic he vanished pinch 1,628 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, and a 60.7% completion rate, on pinch 306 rushing yards and 5 rushing touchdowns.

Even pinch nan injury-shortened season, Leavitt remains 1 of nan sport’s astir marketable players, carrying an estimated NIL valuation of astir $3.1 million, ranking 5th among each assemblage athletes.

Leavitt drew liking from respective different Power Five programs, astir notably Miami, Tennessee, and Kentucky, but LSU yet made consciousness for a fewer cardinal reasons.

Those included Kiffin’s violative strategy and way grounds of quickly integrating transportation quarterbacks, LSU’s contiguous request astatine nan position pursuing opt-outs and departures, and nan program’s important financial and NIL resources paired pinch a nationalist platform.

From Kiffin’s perspective, Leavitt offered a backmost pinch proven starting experience, morganatic dual-threat ability, and 2 years of remaining eligibility, a ready-made portion successful an accelerated roster rebuild.

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