LSU Assembles Most Expensive Roster in College Football via Transfer Portal

Tigers land 9 top-100 transfer players, including 3 of the top 5 overall, under new coach Lane Kiffin

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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LSU has assembled what is being called the most expensive roster in college football after landing a historic transfer portal class under new head coach Lane Kiffin. The Tigers signed 9 top-100 transfer players, including 3 of the top 5 overall transfers, as Kiffin used LSU's resources to quickly restock the roster with elite talent.

Why it matters

LSU's aggressive approach in the transfer portal has raised eyebrows across college football, with rival SEC coaches and general managers expressing concerns about the financial resources the Tigers are leveraging to build their roster. This could have broader implications for the future of college football and the role of the transfer portal in roster building.

The details

Under new head coach Lane Kiffin, LSU signed 9 top-100 transfer players, including 3 of the top 5 overall transfers according to the On3 Industry Transfer Portal Ranking. This includes landing quarterback Sam Leavitt from Arizona State, who Kiffin beat out Tennessee and Miami to acquire. College football general managers are now saying LSU will have the most expensive roster in the sport as a result of their transfer portal spending spree.

  • On Dec. 1, Kiffin said he had 'zero concern' about the interest of players in the transfer portal to come play for LSU.
  • In January, LSU landed its historic transfer portal class, signing 9 top-100 players.

The players

Lane Kiffin

The new head football coach at LSU, known for his aggressive approach in the transfer portal.

Sam Leavitt

The quarterback transfer from Arizona State that LSU landed, beating out Tennessee and Miami.

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What they’re saying

“Lane Kiffin held the transfer portal king title at Ole Miss. He hasn't missed a beat since arriving at LSU in December, as LSU has given him the war chest to assemble one of the top portal classes this offseason. He restocked the Tigers' talent pool with three of the top five players in the transfer portal, according to the On3 Industry Transfer Portal Ranking.”

— On3 Sports (On3 Sports)

“They (LSU) got the most expensive roster in the sport.”

— An SEC GM (Twitter)

What’s next

College football observers will continue to monitor LSU's transfer portal activity and the financial implications as the Tigers look to quickly rebuild their roster under Kiffin.

The takeaway

LSU's aggressive approach in the transfer portal has raised concerns about the growing influence of money in college football roster building. This could lead to increased scrutiny and potential policy changes around the transfer portal in the future.