LSU has to continue to search for a starting quarterback in the transfer portal after former Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby committed Sunday night to Texas Tech, and the Tigers have scheduled a visit from another top target.

Sorsby was considered one of the best available players in the transfer portal regardless of position, and LSU made him a priority. He visited Baton Rouge this weekend, but after taking his first trip to Texas Tech when the transfer portal opened Friday, he chose to play for the Red Raiders with his last season of eligibility.

LSU is now expected to host Arizona State transfer Sam Leavitt for a visit that begins Monday afternoon, sources told The Advocate. Leavitt, another one of the top players on the market, has also gone to Kentucky as he looks for a new school. He reportedly did not take a planned trip Sunday to Texas Tech.

LSU does not have a scholarship quarterback set to return next year, so it is trying to add multiple transfers before the first season under new head coach Lane Kiffin. It was expected to pursue Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss if he entered the transfer portal, but Chambliss agreed to a new deal with Ole Miss if he receives an additional sixth year of eligibility, according to Yahoo Sports.

Leavitt, an Oregon native, spent one season at Michigan State before transferring to Arizona State. Along with star running back Cam Skattebo, he led the Sun Devils to the 2024 Big 12 championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff in his first year as a starter, throwing for 2,885 yards with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also ran for 443 yards and five scores, showing mobility that would make him an ideal fit for LSU’s offensive scheme.

Leavitt was viewed as one of the top quarterbacks in the country entering his redshirt sophomore season this past year, but he suffered a foot injury early in September and eventually underwent season-ending surgery. Leavitt finished with 1,628 yards passing, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions. He added another 306 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.

LSU has to find a new starting quarterback after fifth-year senior Garrett Nussmeier exhausted his eligibility. Nussmeier started for most of the past two seasons before he sat out the last four games because of an abdominal injury that first occurred during preseason camp. 

Michael Van Buren replaced Nussmeier as the starter, burning his redshirt in the process. Though Van Buren said twice he wanted to return amid the coaching change, he plans to enter the transfer portal with two years of eligibility remaining. Redshirt freshman Colin Hurley also entered the transfer portal, temporarily leaving LSU without a scholarship quarterback.

Kiffin and his staff are in the process of rebuilding LSU’s offense, which averaged 22.8 points per game this past season. Only a handful of offensive starters have not left for the NFL draft or entered the transfer portal, so LSU will sign a large transfer class. It needs to almost completely restock at quarterback, running back, wide receiver and offensive line.