Some teams get preseason flowers. Others get ignored, laughed at, or straight-up disrespected. Arizona State? Last year they got clowned in the pre-season after going 3-9 in 2023. Folks had them penciled in as a Big 12 basement dweller before a single snap. But Kenny Dillingham didn’t blink. He handed the keys to a redshirt freshman, let his Sun Devils off the leash, and burned that paper-thin narrative to ash with 11 dubs. Now, after a playoff bid, a Big 12 crown, and an offseason full of whispers—the verdict’s in. And Sam Leavitt and his 1,571-yard co-pilot just got crowned the deadliest duo in the country.
On the May 12 episode of The Ultimate College Football Show, Brad Crawford wasn’t holding back when it came to the No.1 QB/WR duo heading into 2025: “Let’s head out west for the first time in a long time in the preseason. And I go with Sam Leavitt and Jordyn Tyson.” Crawford wasn’t just hyping. He was letting the world know that Arizona State opened the NIL vault this offseason for one reason: to keep that Leavitt-Tyson band together. With Cam Skattebo in the NFL, Crawford predicts, “Leavitt is gonna be a dual threat superstar this season without Cam Skattebo and I think that means Jordyn Tyson is going to get double digit targets.” Seems like Tyson is poised for a breakout WR1 season with heavy targets and potential Biletnikoff buzz.
Let’s rewind for a second. Jordyn Tyson wasn’t just good last year—he was surgical. Jumping from a mere 470 yards in his Buffs season, he straight up delivered 1,101 yards. Ten tuddies. And here’s the kicker: he missed the dang playoff game. On third downs alone, Tyson snatched 18 catches for 300 yards—that’s 16.67 yards per clip. Well, there aren’t many wideouts who can do stuff like this in college football. The man was hell on wheels when it mattered.
Smoke Dixon gave big-time props: “They got NFL written all over them. And when they’re together, they go to the playoffs. If Jordan plays in the playoff game, we might be having a conversation about them going on further. But when you look at just the combination of speed, route running, hands, and then you look at Leavitt’s ability to be accurate, timing, touch, they can really, really set the west coast on fire.”
Dixon picking Sam-Jordyn over Arch-Wingo and Sayin-Jeremiah? That’s a bold statement. Still, people will sleep on this duo until their team defense has to face them. That playoff game against Texas? Even without Tyson, Leavitt went toe-to-toe with Sark’s squad and dropped nearly 300 yards of offense. If Tyson’s in that lineup, we’re maybe talking Peach Bowl champs. Kenny Dillingham remembers that. The man plans to run it back. And now that Leavitt’s seasoned, scarred, and hungry? Teams better buckle up. This isn’t a one-hit wonder situation. Arizona State is cooking again.
Coming into 2025, the Sun Devils return eight offensive starters. No Cam Skattebo, but that’s alright—they went and got Kanye Udoh from the Army Football. Ten touchdowns, 1K+ rushing yards in 2024. That’s fresh juice in the backfield. But let’s not get it twisted: the Leavitt-Tyson connection is the engine of this offense. Tyson is fully healthy, ranked No. 3 on ESPN’s returning wideout list, and looking to cook. Leavitt’s confidence? Through the roof. Marcus Arroyo, the OC, is drawing up plays like he’s got Madden cheat codes.
Sam Leavitt gets Big 12’s QB1 Nod
Now here’s the part that had jaws on the floor. The Big 12 preseason quarterback rankings dropped, and guess who’s sitting on that throne? Sam Leavitt. The very QB analysts had written off just last summer. The very QB who started 2024 as an unknown and finished it walking into Jerry World like a hitman on a mission.
According to SleeperCFB’s rankings, Sam Leavitt is the QB1 in the Big 12. And there isn’t much debate. Avery Johnson doesn’t have squat on Sam Leavitt. His 2024 line was cold-blooded: 2,885 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, just 6 picks on 350 attempts. Add 443 rushing yards and 5 more scores with his legs? That’s a walking stat sheet. And it gets nastier. After missing the Cincinnati game, Leavitt came back and tossed 16 TDs with only 2 INTs to close the season. That’s not just development. That’s a glow-up.
And let’s talk about pressure situations. Because Leavitt didn’t just rack up numbers against cupcakes. In the Big 12 title game, he threw three touchdowns on an Iowa State defense that only gave up 20 points a game all year. The Sun Devils’ Trident thrower literally outdueled Rocco Becht in a Big 12 game. ASU dropped 45 on their head at AT&T Stadium.
So what does that mean for Kenny Dillingham and Arizona State? Simple. They aren’t sneaking up on anyone this time. The target is real. Floor? Double-digit dubs. The expectations? Playoffs deep run. But when you’ve got a QB who’s seen playoff lights and a WR who’s dying to prove what he could’ve done on that stage? You welcome that smoke.
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