New LSU Quarterback Sam Leavitt Isn’t Developing

Quarterback Sam Leavitt transferred from ASU to LSU on Jan. 12, 2026.

But that’s not what this is about.

What’s it about then?

It’s about what Leavitt looked like from an NFL perspective during the seven games he played for ASU during the 2025 season.

Why only seven games?

He got injured.

The Associated Press reported that Leavitt had a “lingering foot injury” that caused him to miss the rest of the season and have surgery.

To be honest⎯

I was feeling “optimistic” about Leavitt after I evaluated him on his 2024 game film (third-round grade).

But that optimism began to fade as his 2025 game film was playing. It was obvious that the coaching staff was game-planning better around Leavitt’s “strengths,” but the weaknesses that showed up on his 2024 game film remain.

In fact, they’ve gotten worse.

How so?

Leavitt’s deep ball accuracy dropped from 38.5% (15/39) in 2024 on passes +20 air yards to 29% in 2025 (9/31).

And the number of pass break-ups (PBUs) nearly doubled from an average of 1.77 per game in 2024 to 3.57 per game in 2025.

Less ground support

I had a hunch that ASU’s run game played a role in Leavitt’s regression in key areas.

And I was right.

Per ESPN, ASU had 591 rushing attempts and averaged 199.9 rushing yards per game in 2024, and they had 498 rushing attempts and averaged 193.6 rushing yards per game in 2025.

Slow time to throw

Tie in the fact that for the second straight season on game film, Leavitt continued struggling to get the ball out of his hand on time, and the big picture was becoming clearer.

Per Pro Football Focus, Leavitt’s time to throw number in 2024 was 3.04 seconds, and 2.94 seconds this past season.

And while that is a “slight improvement,” it’s still too slow when considering NFL-caliber pass rushers and cover corners.

Run Sam run

One of the natural byproducts of a slow time to throw is being thrust into running the ball more often. The walls of the pocket tend to cave in.

Leavitt had 110 rushing attempts in 13 games in 2024 and 73 rushing attempts in 2025 (7 games).

Add in that he doesn’t like to slide or run out of bounds, and yeah, the additional physical contact has taken its toll.

Don’t forget to add in the sacks

Per ESPN⎯

2024: 19 sacks (13 games)

2025: 18 sacks (7 games)

What does that break down to?

2024: 1.46 sacks per game

2025: 2.57 sacks per game

That’s not trending in the right direction either.

Cooling off on Leavitt

The three things Leavitt excels at:

1. Handing the ball off
2. Running the ball himself
3. Short passing game

That’s not enough at the next level.

Especially considering his lack of deep-ball accuracy and ball security issues.

#10 Sam Leavitt 6-foot-2, 205 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s 2026 Spring Grade: Undraftable free agent (I wouldn’t sign him)

🚩 HIGH INJURY RISK

Projected by NFL Mock Draft Database to be a Third-Round prospect as of July 20, 2026

ASU QB Sam Leavitt Shows Promise (2024: 9 games evaluated)

2025 game film evaluated: Northern Arizona, Mississippi State, Texas State, Baylor, TCU, Texas Tech, and Houston (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2025 Under Pressure: 42.0% completion percentage (Pro Football Focus)

2027 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Raw prospect. Operated out of shotgun formation. Verbal and clapping cadence. Competitive. Athletic. Some escapability. Best out of structure. Average ball handling skills. Questionable throwing decisions. One-to-two read thrower. Leans toward first read throws. Tends to pat the ball pre-delivery. Short passes aren’t a slam dunk. Tends to torque his body when releasing. Pushes the ball too much. Throws with average to below-average anticipation. Draws some pass interference calls. Misses tend to be high or overthrows. Legit runner. Somewhat elusive. Can pick up chunks of yardage on the ground.

What to watch for during the 2026 college football season

1. Is he holding the ball too long before throwing?

2. Defenders disrupting his passes?

3. Downfield accuracy?

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, and has written for Sports Illustrated (Lions, Jets, and 49ers), NFL Draft Diamonds, and Yardbarker, as well as appearing as a guest on ESPN Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and Fearless with Jason Whitlock. Featured in USA Today. For more information, visit whateverittakesbook.com. Follow on Twitter @firstroundmock.