BATON ROUGE – LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt has been named to the preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award, which is presented annually to the best all-around college football player. 

The Maxwell Award was previously won by LSU quarterbacks Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels, both of whom also won the Heisman Trophy. 

Leavitt, a junior originally from Oregon, is among 81 players named to the preseason watch list for the 90th Maxwell Award. Of these players, 16 are from the SEC.

Leavitt is entering his first season as a Tiger after transferring from Arizona State, where he was a two-year starter for the Sun Devils. Leavitt started his collegiate career at Michigan State, appearing in four games as a true freshman in 2023.

The Tigers, with Leavitt at the helm, open the 2026-27 season with a Tiger Stadium matchup against Clemson on Sept. 5. This game will be broadcast at 6:30 p.m. on Channel 2.