Former MSU QB Sam Leavitt projected as first round pick in next year's NFL Draft

A former Michigan State quarterback is projected to be a first round pick in next year's NFL Draft.The 2025 NFL Draft came to a conclusion on Saturday, and quickly afterwards, the focus turned to next year's draft. No current Michigan State players were included in Pro Football Focus' initial first round mock draft for next year, but there was one former Spartans quarterback: Sam Leavitt.

Leavitt is currently projected by Dalton Wasserman of PFF as the No. 8 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft -- which would send him to the Indianapolis Colts in this mock. He is the fourth-highest quarterback in the mock draft behind only Texas' Arch Manning, Clemson's Cade Klubnik and LSU's Garrett Nussmeier.



Leavitt played in four games as a true freshman for Michigan State in 2022. He was a big-time prospect signed by former head coach Mel Tucker and quickly entered the transfer portal after current head coach Jonathan Smith was hired at Michigan State. It was assumed quickly that current Spartans' starting quarterback Aidan Chiles would follow Smith from Oregon State to Michigan State via the transfer portal -- which, of course, happened.

So Leavitt made the right choice to hit the transfer portal.Leavitt ended up at Arizona State, where he started right away last season and led Arizona State to the Big 12 championship and an appearance in the College Football Playoff. He threw for 2,885 yards, 24 touchdowns and 6 interceptions last year with the Sun Devils.

If Leavitt can have similar success to last year, it sounds like he'll be moving on to the NFL as a top pick in next year's draft. Check out the complete mock draft from PFF in the post below:The first official 2026 mock draft from the PFF College Football Show. If you thought this year was wild and wacky, just wait.

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twitter.com/80r9VqNl3d— Dalton Wasserman (@PFF_Dalton) April 27, 2025Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page onFacebookto follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.

This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Former MSU QB Sam Leavitt projected as first round pick in 2026 NFL Draft.