Lane Kiffin came to LSU with a proven track record of transfer portal success. Kiffin utilized the portal heavily over the last few seasons at Ole Miss, and was able to lead the Rebels to their best regular season in program history in 2025. From the minute Kiffin was hired at LSU, Tiger fans were fired up hoping that Kiffin's transfer portal wins would continue in Baton Rouge.
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As Kiffin navigated LSU through the transfer portal window last month, he brought in a total of 40 players which includes some of the top players on the market. His roster moves have Tiger fans feeling good about LSU's chances to qualify for the College Football Playoff since 2019. In addition, Kiffin's inaugural portal class in Baton Rouge continues to garner high praise from media outlets across the country.
Lane Kiffin’s transfer portal dominance keeps drawing national attention
Headlined by QB Sam Leavitt, LSU's portal class is ranked as the No. 1 class in the country by 247Sports. Kiffin's portal additions continue to be the envy of college football teams everywhere, and now Saturday Blitz is giving Kiffin and the Tigers props.
In Saturday Blitz's rankings of the top-5 transfer portal teams in the SEC, LSU claimed the No. 1 spot. LSU is followed in the rankings by Texas, Texas A&M, Kentucky, and Auburn.
Saturday Blitz's Patrick Weider notes that Leavitt is the headliner, but other solid additions such as OT Jordan Seaton, EDGE Princewill Umanmielen, and LB TJ Dottery should all make an immediate impact in Kiffin's first season at LSU.
Leavitt, Seaton, and Umanmielen make up three of the top-5 players in the portal according to On3, and they immediately take LSU's transfer portal class to an elite level. But other additions such as Dottery, WR Jayce Brown, WR Winston Watkins, DL Jordan Ross, and S Ty Benefield should all be in for significant roles for the Tigers in 2026.
With all of the high praise Kiffin and LSU are receiving from their transfer portal moves, expectations are already sky high for the 2026 season in Baton Rouge. With odds of +1300, LSU has the 7th-best odds to win the National Championship next season on DraftKings Sportsbook.