Following his weekend visit to Coral Gables, all eyes are on Sam Leavitt to see if Miami will win this recruiting battle or not. On paper, the three teams left in the hunt are LSU, Tennessee and the Hurricanes. So, who will come out on top?
All eyes on Sam Leavitt after his Miami visit with 3 teams (likely) still in the race
Over the weekend, different updates have certainly changed things for each program. For LSU, Lane Kiffin brought in Husan Longstreet, a former 5-star USC signee, for a visit. Does that hint that Kiffin thinks Leavitt will be headed elsewhere?
As for Tennessee, though, Josh Heupel's pursuit of Leavitt might reach a new level. On Sunday, Matt Zenitz reported that fan-favorite QB Joey Aguilar is not expected to get an extra year of eligibility. Because of this, Tennessee could up its NIL offer for Leavitt, who becomes the team's top priority. That'd of course be bad news for Mario Cristobal and his staff.
While a waiver is still being pursued and there’s nothing final yet, it’s currently viewed as unlikely that Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar will be granted an additional year of eligibility, sources tell @CBSSports.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 11, 2026
Threw for 3,565 yards this season at Tennessee. pic.twitter.com/rXE9JVFNNc
Miami football must do whatever it can to land coveted QB Sam Leavitt
Had Aguilar received his extra year from the NCAA, it'd be fair to assume that Heupel and the Vols would rock with him as the team's starter for 2026. That would have been a dream scenario for Cristobal, as it would have put Miami in the presumed driver's seat to bring in Leavitt.
That's not promised now. Leavitt is expected to go home from his Miami official visit and figure out with his family what's next. The Demond Williams drama probably hurt LSU's chances too, but we don't want to speculate on things there.
In back-to-back years, Miami has signed touted transfer quarterbacks Cam Ward and Carson Beck. Ward was the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, while Beck has the Canes in the CFP title game and one win away from capturing the ultimate glory.
What will Leavitt be able to get done if he makes the move to south Florida too? That's something the Miami faithful keep asking themselves, but Cristobal needs to sign him first before people can start dreaming big. From our chair, we're predicting Leavitt to either sign with Tennessee or Miami. This one could go either way.