Is that it for Sam Leavitt? Future of Arizona State QB room after season-ending surgery announced

Sam Leavitt’s season is done because he’ll need surgery to address a lingering issue.

Jeff Sims will be expected to start the rest of the way, with true freshman Cam Dyer backing him up fresh off getting cleared from a torn ACL he suffered last November.

Not much else is certain when looking at the immediate future of Arizona State quarterbacks, with Leavitt able to consider three options: a third year at ASU, an early NFL Draft entry or a second shot at the transfer portal.

After breaking news of the surgery to Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta on Friday, ASU coach Kenny Dillingham said he hasn’t yet spoke to Leavitt about the future.

“I’m not even beginning to process what are his next steps. I haven’t even asked him that,” Dillingham said. “I just feel bad for him that he has been dinged up all year and he’s been battling for our football team. It’s unfortunate that it just hasn’t gotten any better.”

Leavitt’s father was adamant last offseason that everything the quarterback needed to reach his NFL goals was in Tempe and that he didn’t even entertain transfer offers from other potential suitors.

For what it’s worth, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has Leavitt seventh among 2026 quarterback prospects, which would likely slot him as a Day 2 pick between Rounds 2-3.

Whether Leavitt and those closest to him believe that’s a good enough prognosis to take that NFL step — and whether ASU still has the tools to get him there later if not now — will have to be evaluated.

What would Arizona State’s 2026 QB outlook be if Sam Leavitt leaves?

Sims will use up the last of his college eligibility to end this season, leaving Dyer as the main option for a returning quarterback heading into 2026.

Christian Hunt had been ASU’s QB3 before Dyer was cleared, but Hunt was ruled out on the Big 12 availability report on Friday ahead of the Houston loss and has also been out on both reports this week for an undisclosed issue. Hunt is a designated student athlete, or walk-on grandfathered in under the House settlement.

Dyer is one of two freshman quarterbacks on the roster, with Michael “Butter” Tollefson taking the majority of his practice reps on the scout team.

When asked whether young players, such as Dyer, could see reps over the final four games with the four-game limit on redshirts, Dillingham quickly shut it down. However, that was before the Leavitt situation was updated.

“No, we’re trying to win games,” Dillingham said Wednesday.

ASU expects four-star 2026 commit Jake Fette to join the fold. He’s a top-100 overall prospect and the No. 8 quarterback in the class, per 247 Sports’ composite ranking.

The Sun Devils could also hit the transfer portal for a more veteran option to ensure there’s at least one player older than a redshirt freshman.

Contending teams have successfully found stopgap options in the portal, such as John Mateer transferring from Washington State to lead Oklahoma to potential playoff positioning after the Sooners were among the SEC’s worst teams in 2024.

If Leavitt decides to stay, he pushes the clock back in a major way where a transfer option might not be needed anymore. Dyer and Fette can then back Leavitt up and learn to potentially take over for him.

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