The transfer portal opens on Jan. 2, 2026, and will remain open until Jan. 16. Despite another few weeks until it officially opens, we are now in the period when players announce they are transferring so their agents can start negotiating. One of the biggest names in the transfer portal is former Arizona State football quarterback Sam Leavitt, and he will have all sorts of teams knocking down his door.
On3 college football insider Pete Nakos reported that big-time programs like Oregon, Indiana, LSU, and Miami are the schools to watch for Sam Leavitt. There might be more schools that pop up, but Leavitt wants top dollar from a school because he believes he was being underpaid at Arizona State, and those schools would be the ones that can give him what he wants.
Leavitt instantly becomes one of the best players in the transfer portal, not just the best quarterback. Leavitt led the Sun Devils to a Big 12 championship as a redshirt freshman in 2024, despite the Sun Devils being picked to finish in last place in the conference. It was a massive shocker, but they hung their own after winning the conference game against Texas, only to lose in overtime.
The biggest issue with Leavitt's 2025 season was his injuries. He suffered a Lisfranc injury that he tried to play through, but he reaggravated it and was forced to get season-ending surgery. In seven starts, he threw for 1,600 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Arizona State football program managed to get to eight wins even without him.
Miami has had massive success over the last two seasons with transfer quarterbacks after vaulting Cam Ward to the top pick in the NFL Draft last season. The Hurricanes also helped rehabilitate Carson Beck's image, leading to a College Football Playoff berth.
Indiana being mentioned also makes a lot of sense, given that Kurtis Rourke helped put Curt Cignetti on the map as a quarterback whisperer. That bar was also eclipsed this season after Fernando Mendoza's 2025 season, which saw him win the Heisman Trophy.
There are more question marks around Oregon and LSU, but they also make sense for big schools wanting to make a splash. Dante Moore is headed to the NFL, and Lane Kiffin could make a big splash by grabbing Leavitt in Baton Rouge.
