Colorado Buffaloes fans woke up to a nightmare on Monday when former five-star offensive tackle Jordan Seaton announced he was entering the transfer portal. The 6-foot-5, 330-pound sophomore posted an emotional farewell on Instagram reflecting on his time with Deion Sanders’ program. With just days until the transfer portal closes on January 16, Seaton’s departure has instantly made him the No. 1 offensive tackle available. But the interesting thing is, LSU’s newly committed quarterback, Sam Leavitt, is already putting in work.

After Sam Leavitt officially joined Lane Kiffin’s program from Arizona State, he left a comment on Seaton’s Instagram post with the ‘🙌🏼’ emoji. Now, this emoji is usually used to signal joy, celebration, and excitement. That’s a signal that LSU might be making a serious push for Seaton, and Leavitt is already acting like a recruiter for his new team. 

And Seaton is worth it. He’s a legitimate first-round NFL prospect with two years of eligibility remaining. During the 2025 season, he earned All-Big 12 honors and posted an impressive 83.9 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus. Seaton allowed just one sack, zero quarterback hits, and five pressures throughout the year. His pass protection skills make him the 11th-best pass blocker in the Big 12 and the second-best offensive tackle in the conference. However, his run blocking does need improvement. 

The financial side of this recruitment is wild. According to reports, Seaton’s camp is starting the bidding at $2.5 million in NIL money. For context, his NIL valuation at Colorado was around $1.7 million, making him the highest-valued player on the Buffaloes roster. On3’s Pete Nakos reported that Oregon and Texas are the early frontrunners, but “the list is expected to be lengthy,” Nakos wrote. He added that “other programs of note include LSU, Miami, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Texas Tech.” A source within college football even told Nakos that Seaton should receive a “blank check” given his talent and potential impact.​ 

For LSU, landing Seaton would be a massive win for Kiffin’s first year in Baton Rouge. Kiffin and offensive line coach Eric Wolford have been aggressive in the transfer market. They have already secured commitments from former North Carolina Central lineman Ja’Quan Sprinkle and Louisiana native JaKolby Jones.

Adding a proven, elite pass protector like Seaton would give Sam Leavitt the protection he needs to run Kiffin’s high-powered offense. Leavitt’s recruiting pitch on social media might be exactly what LSU needs to pull off one of the biggest portal coups of the cycle.​

An emotional goodbye to Boulder

Seaton’s departure was genuinely heartfelt. In his Instagram post, the Buffalo Heart Award winner didn’t hold back his emotions. “As I reflect on my time at Colorado, it’s hard to put into words what this chapter has truly meant to me,” he wrote. “I never imagined this journey would come to a close in this way, but I am deeply grateful for every moment that led me here.” The post hit especially hard when he mentioned Justice Elliott, someone who clearly meant a lot to him. “I also reflect on Justice Elliott, whose no longer with me, but his belief in me continues to guide and motivate me.”

The gratitude in his message was real, too. Seaton made sure to thank everyone from athletic director Rick George to Coach Prime himself, along with a laundry list of position coaches and staff members who impacted his journey. “I want to sincerely thank Rick George, Coach Prime, Coach Ray, Coach Gunnar, Coach G, Coach Dre, Swasey, Coach J. Phil, Chef Solomon, Brady, AP, Lo, Luke, and Smitty, Ms. LT, and the entire staff,” he wrote. The goodbye genuinely makes you wonder what really drove him to leave. But with Sam Leavitt already sliding into his comments and programs, waving around $2.5 million NIL deals, the answer might be simpler than we think.​

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