Arizona State and head coach Kenny Dillingham are coming off the program’s most successful season since 2014 — and maybe the best in school history.
The Sun Devils were just one play away from knocking off Texas in the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. Now, with a Big 12 title under their belt and momentum at their back, the program has officially arrived on the national scene.
And one player is starting to get national recognition in a major way.
In its newly released “College Football 2025 Quarterback Tiers: Ranking the FBS’ Projected Starters from 1 to 136,” Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt landed in a spot that turned some heads. The redshirt sophomore cracked the top 10 and was placed in Tier 1 — a rare honor for someone entering just their second season as a starter.
Writers Sam Khan Jr. and Antonio Morales made it clear they’re high on Leavitt, ranking him No. 7 overall. But what stood out more than the number was who he ranked ahead of.
Leavitt was placed above Texas quarterback and Heisman Trophy favorite Arch Manning — arguably the most talked-about player in college football heading into the season. After the flashes Manning showed last year and the weight of expectations surrounding him, it’s a bold statement about how much faith The Athletic has in Leavitt’s trajectory.
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And to be fair, Leavitt has earned that praise.
In his first full season with the Sun Devils, he led the team to an 11–2 record and their first College Football Playoff appearance. He threw for 2,971 yards, 24 touchdowns, and just six interceptions, completing over 61% of his passes.
And he wasn’t just a pocket passer — he added 443 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground, giving Arizona State a true dual-threat leader under center.
“Coach Kenny Dillingham has quickly built a strong reputation for QB development,” The Athletic wrote. “Leavitt is well on his way to becoming the latest success story.”
They also praised his midseason transformation.
“Leavitt rapidly progressed from first-time starter into the Big 12’s best quarterback by season’s end,” The Athletic wrote. He’s a fluid athlete who relied on that athleticism and his legs early on until he found his groove as a passer in the second half of the year. Once he did, Arizona State’s offense took off on its way to a Big 12 title and CFP appearance. Running back Cam Skattebo, the Sun Devils’ heartbeat, is gone, so Leavitt will be relied upon more, but he showed in the second half of last year he’s ready for that sort of responsibility.”
With praise pouring in from all corners of the college football world, Leavitt’s rise is no longer under the radar. He’s not just the face of Arizona State football — he’s one of the most intriguing quarterbacks in the country.
If he keeps trending upward, don’t be surprised if he not only takes the Sun Devils back to the Playoff but starts generating serious NFL Draft buzz in the process.