The five most valuable players on LSU football's 2026 roster

4. Jordan Ross | Defensive End | Transfer | 1.05 million

Ross comes in at No. 4 on LSU's roster with a valuation of 1.05 million. That number doesn't necessarily match the production we saw from Ross for two years at Tennessee, but he is a former five-star, plays a premium position, and was acquired through the transfer portal. All three elements raise his price.

3. Princewill Umanmielen | Defensive End | Transfer | 1.5 million

Umanmielen's placement on this list comes as no surprise. He was one of the top-ranked players in the transfer portal and one of the SEC's most productive pass rushers in 2025.

2. Jordan Seaton | Offensive Tackle | Transfer | 4 million

Few positions are as important as left tackle. When former Colorado tackle Jordan Seaton entered the transfer portal, we knew he would command a heavy price tag. It was reported that LSU ended up paying 4 million for Seaton, beating Oregon in a bidding war. If Seaton brings the expected improvement to LSU's offensive line, he'll be worth every penny.

1. Sam Leavitt | Quarterback | Transfer | 6 million

CFO lists new LSU QB Sam Leavitt as a 6 million dollar player. With Garrett Nussmeier off to the NFL and the rest of LSU's QB room entering the transfer portal, LSU was left without a QB on the roster. Kiffin was determined to land one of the best available, which resulted in LSU not giving up on its pursuit of Leavitt. There were some twists and turns along the way, but LSU managed to get the ex-Arizona State QB to Baton Rouge.

Takeaways

The most obvious takeaway from this list is that transfers cost a lot of money. A transfer has more leverage on the open market than a high school recruit does; teams are more willing to spend to fill needs. That raises the price for every Power Four quality player in the portal.

Per CFO, the five highest-paid players on LSU's roster are transfers. That doesn't mean these five are the best players on LSU's roster, but they're the most "expensive."

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: The five most valuable players on LSU football's 2026 roster