The LSU Tigers enter the 2026 season ranked No. 13 in the preseason coaches poll, putting them squarely in the conversation for a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff.
If the Tigers are going to make a championship run in Lane Kiffin's first season, these five players will need to have standout seasons.
1. QB Sam Leavitt
Leavitt is one of the few LSU players with College Football Playoff experience. As Arizona State's starting quarterback in 2024, he led the Sun Devils to a Big 12 championship and a CFP appearance.
That season, Leavitt threw for 2,885 yards, 24 touchdowns and just six interceptions while adding 433 rushing yards and five scores. His dual-threat ability is one of the reasons LSU believes he can elevate the offense.
The biggest question is how his production will translate against SEC defenses. In the CFP loss to Texas, Leavitt completed just 52 percent of his passes for 222 yards, although he did rush for 60 yards.
He also faced Mississippi State twice during his Arizona State career. In a 2024 victory, he threw for only 69 yards. In a 2025 loss, he passed for 82 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
If LSU is going to contend for a playoff berth, Leavitt will have to prove he can consistently produce against the nation's toughest defenses.
2. WR Jackson Harris
Harris gives LSU the explosive, downfield threat every offense covets.
The Hawaii transfer earned first-team All-Mountain West honors after catching 49 passes for 963 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2025, averaging nearly 20 yards per reception.
At 6-foot-2 and 202 pounds, Harris has the size to win contested catches and the speed to stretch opposing secondaries. He could quickly become one of Leavitt's favorite targets, especially in the red zone.
3. RB Harlem Berry
Some preseason depth charts project Wisconsin transfer Dillon Jones as LSU's starting running back following an impressive spring.
Still, for the Tigers' rushing attack to reach its potential, sophomore Harlem Berry needs to emerge as a difference-maker.
The former five-star recruit from St. Martin's Episcopal has the elusiveness, home-run speed and pass-catching ability to become one of the SEC's most dynamic backs. Berry averaged 4.7 yards per carry last season, but LSU needs that number to climb above five yards per attempt if it wants a more balanced offense.
4. DT Dominick McKinley
Much of the attention along LSU's defensive line has centered on highly touted newcomers Deuce Geralds, Richard Anderson and Lamar Brown.
But McKinley was also a five-star recruit, and now entering his junior season, it's time for him to become a dominant force.
Statistics don't always tell the full story for defensive tackles, but McKinley has totaled 19 tackles, five tackles for loss and four sacks through his first two seasons. LSU needs him to consistently disrupt the interior.
5. DE Princewill Umanmielen
LSU brought in Umanmielen to wreak havoc in opposing backfields.
The Ole Miss transfer earned third-team All-SEC honors in 2025 after finishing third in the conference with eight sacks and eighth with 13 tackles for loss.
A preseason watch list selection for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Umanmielen arrives in Baton Rouge with 38 career games, 20 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks.
If he can generate consistent pressure off the edge, he'll make life much easier for LSU's secondary and give the Tigers the disruptive pass rush needed to compete with the SEC's elite offenses.
