The air in Baton Rouge feels a little different this January. If you’ve been following the LSU transfer portal news, you know it’s not just the standard "new year, new roster" cycle. It is a full-scale reconstruction.
Following the departure of Brian Kelly in late 2025, the arrival of Lane Kiffin has essentially turned the Tigers into the most aggressive shoppers in college football.
Honestly? It was needed. The 2025 season ended with a thud in the Texas Bowl against Houston, and the roster was, frankly, a bit of a mess. But as of January 13, 2026, LSU currently boasts what many services, including 247Sports, consider the #1 transfer portal class in the nation. It’s a dizzying amount of movement.
The Sam Leavitt Era Begins
The biggest domino fell just yesterday. On Monday, January 12, Arizona State transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt officially committed to LSU.
This was the piece Kiffin desperately needed. Before Leavitt’s commitment, the quarterback room was terrifyingly thin, basically consisting of walk-on Emile Picarella III after Garrett Nussmeier’s eligibility ended and others hit the portal.
Leavitt isn't just a body, though. He led Arizona State to the College Football Playoff in 2024 and brings over 4,600 career passing yards to the table. Kiffin reportedly flew to Knoxville personally to "intercept" Leavitt while he was visiting Tennessee. That’s the kind of high-stakes recruiting LSU fans have been begging for.
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Caden Durham: The One Who Stayed
While everyone is obsessed with the "new shiny toys," the most important news might be a guy who was already in the building.
Running back Caden Durham entered the portal, sent a collective shiver down the spine of Tiger Stadium, and then… decided to come back. "I'm back," he posted on Instagram.
Keeping Durham is massive. He’s racked up over 1,600 scrimmage yards over the last two seasons. In a world where the portal makes it easy to leave when a new coach arrives, Kiffin’s ability to re-recruit his own best playmaker speaks volumes about the culture he's trying to build overnight.
Rebuilding the Wide Receiver Room from Scratch
If you look at the wide receiver depth chart from three months ago, you won't recognize it today. It's basically a brand-new room.
LSU lost a ton of production to the NFL and the portal, but Kiffin responded by landing nine new receivers. Nine! Here are the ones you need to know:
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- Eugene "Tre" Wilson (Florida): A former Freshman All-American. He’s electric in space and exactly the kind of gadget/playmaker hybrid Kiffin loves.
- Jayce Brown (Kansas State): A prolific producer who ranks top-10 in K-State history for yards.
- Jackson Harris (Hawaii): This is the "Portal King" find. Harris led the Mountain West in receiving touchdowns (12) and averaged nearly 20 yards per catch. He’s a vertical threat that will keep SEC safeties awake at night.
- Roman Mothershed (Troy): The latest addition who committed just yesterday.
Fixing the Trenches
You can’t win the SEC with just flashy receivers. The defensive line was a major point of contention last year, and the portal reflects a concerted effort to get bigger and meaner.
Stephiylan Green comes over from Clemson. He’s a 290-pound interior presence who actually had his best game of 2025 against LSU in the season opener. If you can't beat 'em, recruit 'em, right?
Then there’s Jordan Ross from Tennessee. He was a top-15 EDGE prospect in the portal. Paired with Auburn transfer Malik Blocton, the Tigers are suddenly much deeper on the defensive front than they were during the November collapse.
A Quick Look at the Numbers
To give you an idea of the sheer scale of this, here is a breakdown of the key arrivals so far:
- Quarterbacks: Sam Leavitt (Arizona St), Landen Clark (Elon)
- Running Backs: Rod Gainey Jr (Charlotte), Raycine Guillory (Utah)
- Defensive Line: Stephiylan Green (Clemson), Jordan Ross (Tennessee), Malik Blocton (Auburn), Jaylen Brown (South Carolina)
- Secondary: Ty Benefield (Boise St), Treylan James (Southern)
What Most People Get Wrong About This Strategy
There’s a narrative that Kiffin is just "buying" a team. That’s a bit lazy.
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The reality is more about roster balancing. Under the previous regime, the offensive line grading was abysmal—3rd worst in the country by some metrics. Kiffin hasn't just added stars; he’s brought in guys like William Satterwhite (Tennessee) and Ja’Quan Sprinkle (NC Central) to provide adult supervision on the line.
Is it risky? Sure. Bringing in 20+ new players means you have about six months to build chemistry before you have to play a real game. But when you inherit a roster with only one scholarship quarterback, "slow and steady" isn't an option. You have to be aggressive.
The Actionable Takeaway for Fans
The transfer portal window for players to enter closes on January 16. That means the next few days are critical. If you are an LSU fan, keep your eyes on the following:
- The Offensive Line: We still need more depth here. Watch for a late-window veteran tackle to emerge.
- The Secondary: Ty Benefield is a great start, but the Tigers could use one more lockdown corner to complement the young talent already on campus like DJ Pickett.
- Spring Ball: The real test isn't the commitment tweet; it's March. With so many new faces, the chemistry between Sam Leavitt and his nine new receivers will be the #1 storyline to watch.
Essentially, the "Portal King" has lived up to the name. LSU has gone from a program in transition to a program that looks ready to contend in the SEC in the span of about three weeks. It’s been wild to watch, and it’s likely not over yet.