The coaching carousel isn’t even done spinning, and the transfer portal knock has already gotten loud. And Kenny Dillingham’s up first on the stress meter. The Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback, Sam Leavitt, becomes an early favorite to jump ship. Not much time is left for Dillingham and co. to woo Leavitt back. The clock’s ticking, only 42 days. 

On November 18, The Athletic’s Chris Vannini dropped the news. He reported, “Arizona St. QB Sam Leavitt is being shopped around, and the belief is he’s unlikely to return to ASU. Portal doesn’t open until Jan. 2. Miami and Texas Tech could be spots.” Per a source, Leavitt’s market value could top $2 million a year if he jumps into the portal. Miami and Texas Tech are seen as top possibilities.

Both schools are losing their starters after this season: Carson Beck and Behren Morton. Plus, they are known for spending big on portal talent at key positions. Leavitt’s injury derailed ASU’s postseason push and Big 12 hopes. Now, it looks like it might force the Sun Devils into a quarterback search for 2026. However, the Leavitt fam is not yet ready to talk about the quarterback’s next move.

His father, Jared, denied that his son is entertaining leaving ASU. In an interview with The Athletic, he said, “No, that isn’t true.” This was then doubled down by Leavitt’s brother Dallin. He denied the buzz, claiming, “that’s not where things are right now … he’s still deciding what he wants to do.”

The former MSU transfer can’t legally hit the portal until Jan. 2, after the NCAA pushed the winter window to the day following the CFP quarters. But behind the scenes, agents are already shopping players to front offices and personnel departments to size up offers before decisions are made. The portal slams shut on January 16, and with no spring window this year, the stakes are even higher.

Leavitt lit up 2024, hitting 61.7% of his throws for 2,885 yards and 24 touchdowns, with just six picks. Add in a 150.2 QB rating and 443 rushing yards with five more scores, and he looked every bit like ASU’s rising star.

But 2025 told a different story. A foot injury in the 27-24 win over Baylor on September 20 stuck with him like a bad shadow. He powered through three more games, but the pain refused to let go. Eventually, he shut it down for season-ending surgery.

In his shortened campaign, Leavitt still managed 1,628 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 306 rushing yards over seven games, a tough year that still flashed his grit. So, maybe Arizona State deep within does not want to let go of their phenom, who led Dillingham’s squad to the Big 12 Championship game and a playoff appearance. The ASU AD came with a reassurance.

Sam Leavitt gets financial backing from the ASU camp

Pete Nakos reported Leavitt and his team are hitting the market hard, exploring top-tier opportunities, and looking to cash in on NIL dollars. Well, the timing was interesting. It came days after head coach Dillingham made it clear that ASU’s administration is “all-in” on backing football with real financial muscle.

“I mean, I don’t see any concerns or limitations there. You know, he’s a college player in this environment where college players can earn, and we’ve been prepared to do whatever it takes to build a great team, and we’ll continue to do that,” assured ASU’s AD Graham Rossini. 

NIL life wasn’t all sunshine for Leavitt at ASU. The Week 2 flop against Mississippi State hit his wallet hard, chopping $383K off that $2.7 million price tag. So, this backing from his camp would have meant a lot for Leavitt. As per On3’s current NIL valuation list, Leavitt has been pushed quite low. He stands at No.28 with a valuation of $1.9 million. As the quarterback’s “doubtful” status looms for his return to Dillingham’s camp, who might have eyes on him? Looks like it just won’t be restricted to Miami and Texas Tech.

If there’s a logical landing spot for Sam Leavitt, it’s Clemson. Cade Klubnik’s done; Garrett Riley needs a QB who can run his scheme. And Sam Leavitt has already shown he can deliver at the Power Five level by steering ASU to a conference crown. Clemson’s no-transfer stance in 2024 sent them tumbling to No. 83 in the 2025 rankings. This makes Leavitt the kind of jolt that could flip the script on Dabo Swinney’s era. In 42 days, the portal opens, and we finally get the quarterback’s answer.