Sam Leavitt's 2026 Draft Status Up-In-Air

TEMPE -- The defining move from Kenny Dillingham during his time as head coach of the Arizona State football program has been securing a commitment from a little-known transfer quarterback in Sam Leavitt in December of 2023.

The Oregon native broke onto the scene in the 2024 season with a phenomenal second-half run to the Big 12 title.

Leavitt entered the 2025 season with considerable attention surrounding his future NFL prospects - with some even labeling the 20-year old as a future first round pick.

Leavitt's documented struggles in the loss to Mississippi State in week two put a magnifying glass on areas of his game that need improvement - that is exactly what ESPN analyst Jordan Reid pointed out when ranking the 2026 quarterback prospects in order.

Leavitt currently slots in as the 9th-best player in the class, with the points of emphasis when it comes to improving his stock being directly defined below by Reid.

Where he needs work: "Leavitt often plays the game in an unconventional way, as he's too quick to leave the pocket and puts himself in harm's way by playing out of structure too often. He's great at making Houdini-like plays but must understand when to get rid of the ball, as he is sacked 6.3% of the time (43rd in FBS).

He tends to make ill-advised throws both inside and outside of the pocket. While he's good at putting out fires, Leavitt is prone to creating a lot of them with his impatience. Arizona State's scheme has fewer pro-style throws and emphasizes stretching defenses out horizontally, with 32.7% of Leavitt's passing attempts this season being at or behind the line of scrimmage (19th highest in the FBS)."