Jared Goff has been the Detroit Lions’ entrenched starter for years, but the quarterback room could look different come 2026. With a second-round pick in Pro Football Network’s recent three-round 2026 NFL Draft mock-up, Dan Campbell added a quarterback to his room.
Are The Lions Interested in Sam Leavitt?
Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt introduced himself to the football world in 2024-25, most notably in a narrow College Football Playoff quarterfinal loss to the Texas Longhorns. A mock draft posted on Saturday has him parlaying that momentum into being the No. 54 overall pick and heading to Detroit next year.
Five passers were taken ahead of Leavitt in the order. South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers landed with the Cleveland Browns via the No. 2 overall choice, while the Miami Dolphins scooped up Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza with the next pick.
Penn State’s Drew Allar (No. 5, New York Jets), Clemson’s Cade Klubnik (No. 6, New Orleans Saints), and LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier (No. 7, Pittsburgh Steelers) went in the first round, as well.
Leavitt sounds more comfortable within the Sun Devils’ attack ahead of the upcoming season. He was named the Big 12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year in 2024-25 after passing 2,885 yards and accounting for 29 total touchdowns.
“Last year was really just getting into the offense and really learning how to command that offense last year and win some big games and play a full game and take care of the ball,” Leavitt said last week at Big 12 Media Days. “So now it’s really just finding plays that we like to get to versus certain looks, whether it’s in the game plan or not. … Second year in the system makes it a little more easier.”
What Makes Leavitt Stand Out to NFL Evaluators?
On3’s J.D. PicKell was impressed by how Leavitt slung the ball around the yard last month.
“If you’re an Arizona State bettor or an Arizona State fan, this made you feel good,” PicKell said. “All throws. The off-platform stuff, the ‘Drop it in the bucket’ kind of stuff. I mean, I don’t know that enough people got to see how good Sam Leavitt actually is until when they played Texas a year ago. This is not new for Sam Leavitt.”
Meanwhile, Goff is headed into his 10th NFL season and fifth as the Lions’ starter. He threw for a career-high 37 touchdowns a campaign ago. Detroit signed him to a four-year, $212 million extension in May 2024.
If Sam Leavitt lives up to the buzz and the Lions truly see him as the future quarterback, Detroit may set the stage for a seamless transition from Jared Goff. And possibly the start of a new era in the center of Motor City.
