LSU football depth chart: How Lane Kiffin overhauled roster with 2026 transfers, pro players

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LSU football depth chart: How Lane Kiffin overhauled roster with 2026 transfers, pro players originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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A seven-win season is a success for most college football programs, but in Baton Rouge, that wasn't nearly enough in 2025.

Brian Kelly was let go by LSU during the 2025 season, a decision that ultimately led to major change for the Tigers — including millions of dollars being spent to improve the team. It wasn't just the massive contract LSU gave Lane Kiffin to pry him from Ole Miss. When Kiffin arrived, big-name transfers followed.

The Tigers had some of the most significant roster turnover in the country, watching 38 players transfer out, per 247Sports, and another 44 announce their intentions to play for Kiffin in 2026. 247Sports also had LSU as the No. 1 transfer class of the offseason.

With LSU looking far different than it did just one year ago, here's an updated look at the team's depth chart entering 2026 and what to know about some of the high-profile transfers.

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LSU football depth chart

Here's a look at LSU's depth chart for the 2026 college football season, according to Ourlads.

Transfer players are listed in bold.

Offense

Defense

Special teams

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LSU transfer players 2026

Among LSU's projected starters, 15 are transfers. That includes seven of 11 likely offensive starters coming in from another school.

Here are some of the bigger-name transfers at LSU this season.

Sam Leavitt, QB

The moment Kiffin announced his intentions to join LSU last year, one of the immediate follow-up questions was who his quarterback would be. With Garrett Nussmeier off to the NFL, there was little doubt that Kiffin would pursue the biggest names in the transfer portal.

While Dylan Raiola, Darian Mensah or Demond Williams Jr. looked like potential options, it was 247Sports' No. 1 player in the portal, Sam Leavitt, who Kiffin landed on. The former Arizona State star was a two-year starter for the Sun Devils, taking over as a redshirt freshman in 2024 and leading the team to the College Football Playoff while winning Big-12 Freshman of the Year.

After dealing with injuries in 2025, Leavitt departed Arizona State with 34 touchdown passes and nine interceptions in a two-year span. He's a potential 2027 NFL Draft pick thanks to his arm talent, and Leavitt will likely give Kiffin some of the steadiest quarterback play in the SEC.

Jordan Seaton, LT

If it weren't for Leavitt, Kiffin's grand prize of the 2026 transfer cycle would've been offensive lineman Jordan Seaton, who's set to slot in at left tackle for LSU. Seaton was the No. 3 player available in the portal, according to 247Sports' rankings: a 6-5, 330-pound force on the line who was a five-star recruit as well.

Seaton started immediately at Colorado, now bringing two years of starting experience to the Tigers. He gave up just one sack throughout the 2025 season, considered one of the best offensive lineman prospects in the country.

Princewill Umanmielen, EDGE

Yet another top-10 transfer (No. 6) who committed to LSU was pass rusher Princewill Umanmielen, who is re-uniting with Kiffin after playing for him at Ole Miss.

Umanmielen, who played at Nebraska for two years prior to Ole Miss, stands at 6-5 and 245 pounds. He broke out for a nine-sack season in 2025, totaling 13 tackles for loss and now bringing some veteran production to a young LSU defensive line. 

Dae'Quan Wright (TE), Jack Pyburn (EDGE), Zxavian Harris (DL), Junior Tuihalamaka (EDGE)

Of course, there are some lingering questions about a few other notable transfers and their eligibility to play for LSU in 2026.

All four of tight end Dae'Wuan Wright, Jack Pyburn, Zxavian Harris and Junior Tuihalamaka face uncertain futures due to the ongoing legal battle involving the SEC, the NCAA and LSU, centered around the Class of 2022's eligibility for an extra year and whether players who spent time on NFL rosters this summer can return to college.

While none of the four were quite talented enough to crack an NFL roster, they could all still be highly capable SEC players.

Harris played under Kiffin at Ole Miss, making 15 starts in 2025 and totaling 58 total tackles. Wright started his career at Virginia Tech, also landed at Ole Miss in 2024, and went for a career-high 39 receptions for 635 yards with five touchdowns last season.

Pyburn and Tuihalamaka haven't played for Kiffin previously, but had production under other coaches. Pyburn would be returning to LSU, where he totaled 51 total tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery in 2025. Tuihalamaka spent his last four years at Notre Dame, finishing with 12 total tackles and one sack last year.

The legal battles will determine whether these four players can hit the field — but if they can, they'll all add plenty of experience to an LSU team loaded with transfer talent.

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