After missing out on Brendan Sorsby, Lane Kiffin has pivoted to make Sam Leavitt his top target. Leavitt spent the better part of two days in Baton Rouge earlier this week meeting with Kiffin and other LSU staffers and players.
The LSU-Demond Williams rumors include Lane Kiffin offering him a wild amount of money
However, Leavitt left Baton Rouge without a deal in place to play for LSU. Now, he is off to visit another SEC school. According to On3, Leavitt is set to visit the Tennessee Volunteers later this week.
NEW: Arizona State transfer QB Sam Leavitt is set to visit Tennessee this week, @AustinPriceless reports👀https://t.co/fC0hGOyF4z pic.twitter.com/zUIA3f1EHB
— On3 (@On3sports) January 7, 2026
Leavitt's indecision still has LSU searching for its QB1 for 2026
The pressure on Kiffin to land an elite QB continues to build as Sorsby chose Texas Tech and Leavitt remains undecided following his visit to Baton Rouge. As it stands, LSU has zero scholarship quarterbacks on its roster for 2026. Michael Van Buren initially stated that he wanted to stay with the program through the coaching change, but he has since decided to enter the portal.
Leavitt is one of the most sought-after players in the portal, and is ranked by Saturday Blitz as the No. 2 QB on the market. He spent the 2023 season at Michigan State before transferring to Arizona State. There, he led the Sun Devils to a Big 12 Championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff. Owning a dynamic dual-threat skill set, Leavitt has racked up 4,652 yards and 36 touchdowns with 11 interceptions though the air while also totaling 816 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.
Along with Tennessee, LSU's biggest competition for landing Leavitt is the Kentucky Wildcats. Leavitt's first visit after the portal opened was to Lexington, and it appeared to go well. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
In a dramatic twist, Washington QB Demond Williams decided to enter the transfer portal on Tuesday night just days after he reached an agreement to return to the Huskies in 2026. Kiffin and LSU appear to be very interested in landing Williams, which could force Leavitt to make a decision sooner rather than later.