Impact Study 2025: Sam Leavitt
SAM LEAVITT
Ahh summertime: A lovely time in our college football schedule driven by hot-taking, list-making and sidewalk baking. Affectionally known as Talking Season, this is also when blowhards and engagement farmers tend to dictate the conversations, with not much else is going on in the sports world. And as most can attest, everyone loves a good quarterback debate.
Fresh off wrapping up my annual QB Impact Study, where I chart the top 40-50 returning passers against their most challenging opponents, this analyst is ready to join the fray and guide you towards a more fulfilling discussion. I ground through tape to find traits that translate and metrics that matter — far more illuminating than citing counting stats or scanning box scores. Plus, this exercise has a great track record for singling out the nation’s top signal callers.
This piece will focus on Arizona State's Sam Leavitt -- On3's QB1 ahead of 2025.
IMPACT SLATE: Texas State, Kansas, Utah, Kansas State, BYU, Iowa State, and Texas.
The Skinny
Impressive, accurate downfield thrower. Delivers potency yet limits mistakes. Still developing timing, trust, and vision but exhibits next-level traits both in and out of structure. Particularly lethal off play action but rocks a high pass floor due to rock-steady placement stats.
The Fat
A prime candidate to experience a major “second-year bump”, Sam Leavitt is On3’s most impactful QB ahead of this fall. He’s pinpoint targeting all areas of the field, dynamic as a ball carrier, has a knack for delivering big plays, and limits mistakes incredibly well. And of course, he helped lead ASU to a conference title and playoff berth as a rookie starter. Though he certainly has things to fix, Leavitt’s optimal style of play hints elite upside.
Behind good balance and a snappy rotation, Leavitt proved to be one of the crop’s most lethal sharpshooters. He’s capable of leading his men behind coverage downfield, rifling backshoulders along the sideline, and hitting targets on meaty inbreakers over the middle. Opting to not put a lot of air under his deep throws, his zip is routinely on display.
|
S. Leavitt |
ATT |
Y/A |
ANY/A |
ADOT |
Success% |
1D+TD% |
EXP% |
INTA% |
Adj Comp% |
|
OVERALL |
193 |
7.9 |
7.7 |
9.5 |
41.5% |
32.6% |
12.4% |
3.6% |
75.0% |
|
Impact AVR |
181 |
7.6 |
7.04 |
9.88 |
45.7% |
34.7% |
10.3% |
7.4% |
74.4% |
|
S. Leavitt |
Acc% |
Depth Adj Acc% |
*UNC% |
Drop% |
Pressure |
Sack |
Screen+RPO |
Play Action |
Outside Pocket |
|
OVERALL |
69.4% |
59.7% |
14.5% |
10.9% |
24.4% |
4.7% |
24.9% |
29.5% |
22.8% |
|
Impact AVR |
59.1% |
46.4% |
20.0% |
8.7% |
25.4% |
7.0% |
19.0% |
20.5% |
16.5% |
(STATS COLOR CODED BASED ON PERCENTILE AMONG 44 QBS IN 2025 IMPACT STUDY; TILT TABLE SIDEWAYS ON MOBILE)
His 59.7% Depth Adjusted Accuracy% is on par with Cam Ward’s clip from last year’s study. Only one other Impact QB posted an above average Downfield (+10) Target Rate with at least a 50% Accuracy%. Though he needs to refine his lower body some – his footwork can be too heel-clicky and messy on occasion – he rarely goes askew when he hits the top of his drop. He tends to keep his weight centered and avoid wonky bases, an all important characteristic for sustained precision.
Leavitt’s impressive vertical offerings and downfield spray resulted in him being one of the study’s most potent passers. Practically, an eighth of his attempts against his hardest foes went for at least a 20 yard gain.
|
S. Leavitt |
20+ Comp% |
20+ Acc% |
20+ Unc% |
20+ INTA |
11-20 Comp |
11-20 Acc% |
11-20 Unc% |
11-20 INTA% |
|
Downfield |
42.9% |
46.4% |
25.0% |
14.3% |
46.5% |
55.8% |
27.9% |
2.3% |
|
Impact AVR |
36.4% |
31.3% |
35.8% |
17.4% |
53.6% |
49.7% |
24.8% |
11.5% |
|
S. Leavitt |
10+ ADOT |
10+ Comp% |
10+ Acc% |
10+ UNC% |
10+ INTA% |
10+ DAA% |
10+ Adj Comp |
10+ ATT |
|
Downfield |
20.9 |
45.1% |
52.1% |
26.8% |
7.0% |
53.1% |
52.5% |
71 |
|
Impact AVR |
20.9 |
47.1% |
42.7% |
28.8% |
13.9% |
40.2% |
54.3% |
63.9 |
(STATS COLOR CODED BASED ON PERCENTILE AMONG 44 QBS IN 2025 IMPACT STUDY; TILT TABLE SIDEWAYS ON MOBILE)
The Sun Devil was particularly fiery off play action averaging nearly 14 yards/attempt against his hardest foes. In the modern era, not every QB is capable of dropping their eyes or turning their back towards coverages and locating open receivers. Yet, Leavitt executed undercenter pro style play fakes as if he was a seasoned NFL vet. Granted, some of Cam Skattebo’s “gravity” attracting defensive attention played a part in his success. But, Leavitt still recorded a number of dimes and remained among the group’s most accurate.
|
S. Leavitt |
ATT |
Y/A |
ANY/A |
ADOT |
Success% |
1D+TD% |
EXP% |
|
Play Action |
32 |
13.9 |
14.9 |
17.9 |
53.1% |
50.0% |
28.1% |
|
Impact AVR |
29.3 |
10.4 |
10.1 |
15.2 |
50.3% |
42.3% |
19.0% |
|
S. Leavitt |
INTA% |
Adj Comp% |
Acc% |
DAA% |
UNC% |
Drop% |
Sack |
|
Play Action |
3.1% |
75.0% |
65.6% |
67.1% |
25.0% |
12.5% |
6.3% |
|
Impact AVR |
7.3% |
70.4% |
54.2% |
46.5% |
24.0% |
8.2% |
7.8% |
(STATS COLOR CODED BASED ON PERCENTILE AMONG 44 QBS IN 2025 IMPACT STUDY; TILT TABLE SIDEWAYS ON MOBILE)
|
S. Leavitt |
ATT |
Y/A |
ANY/A |
ADOT |
Success% |
1D+TD% |
EXP% |
INTA% |
|
Dropback |
126 |
9.1 |
8.9 |
13.5 |
42.1% |
34.9% |
15.9% |
3.9% |
|
Impact AVR |
129.7 |
8.1 |
7.4 |
12.45 |
46.5% |
36.8% |
11.7% |
8.6% |
|
S. Leavitt |
Adj Comp% |
Acc% |
DAA% |
UNC% |
Drop% |
Dropback PRE |
Sack |
|
|
Dropback |
67.3% |
62.7% |
58.5% |
23.0% |
11.1% |
29.4% |
5.6% |
|
|
Impact AVR |
70.0% |
55.1% |
46.0% |
22.1% |
9.3% |
28.5% |
7.8% |
|
(STATS COLOR CODED BASED ON PERCENTILE AMONG 44 QBS IN 2025 IMPACT STUDY; TILT TABLE SIDEWAYS ON MOBILE)
And he wasn’t just cherry picking and throwing to wide-open teammates. Over a fifth of his sample targeted a tight window. And Leavitt's lovely arm again lit up the statsheet, relatively speaking. A dot through and through, only he and Taylen Green placed inside the group’s top6 in Contested Accuracy% and Uncatchable%. And when including Interceptable% in the same threshold, he stood alone.
(STATS COLOR CODED BASED ON PERCENTILE AMONG 44 QBS IN 2025 IMPACT STUDY; TILT TABLE SIDEWAYS ON MOBILE)
|
S. Leavitt |
ATT |
Y/A |
ANY/A |
ADOT |
Success% |
1D+TD% |
EXP% |
|
Contested |
41 |
6.6 |
6.0 |
16.3 |
29.3% |
21.9% |
12.2% |
|
S. Leavitt |
INTA% |
Adj Comp% |
Acc% |
Depth Adj Acc% |
UNC% |
Drop% |
Makeup% |
|
Contested |
14.6% |
39.4% |
51.2% |
42.0% |
17.1% |
19.5% |
21.2% |
He even remained trustworthy when pressured. Drops and throwaways prevented his results from shining, but all of his placement stats finished in the green. While tremendous by itself, Leavitt also was solid at negating sacks. In his sample, he erased twice as many potential takedowns as suffered losses (18 vs 9). Leaviit finished on the good side of the Impact average in both Sack Rate and Pressure:Sack Ratio.
|
S. Leavitt |
ATT |
Y/A |
ANY/A |
ADOT |
Success% |
1D+TD% |
EXP% |
INTA% |
|
All Pressured |
47 |
5.5 |
2.9 |
14.4 |
27.7% |
25.5% |
10.6% |
6.4% |
|
Impact AVR |
44.4 |
5.96 |
4.02 |
13.3 |
31.1% |
26.5% |
9.8% |
10.7% |
|
S. Leavitt |
Adj Comp% |
Acc% |
DAA% |
UNC% |
Drop% |
DB PRE% |
DB Sack% |
DB PRE:Sack% |
|
All Pressured |
61.5% |
46.8% |
45.1% |
36.2% |
17.0% |
29.4% |
5.6% |
18.9% |
|
Impact AVR |
57.6% |
37.7% |
35.4% |
38.8% |
7.8% |
28.6% |
8.5% |
28.1% |
He just doesn’t beat the heat with his arm. He has clear boogie to him as a ball carrier. Leavitt averaged nearly 10 yards/scramble on a 69% Success Rate. He’s very fluid with no robotic kinks and quite capable of dusting defenders with worthwhile northward burst. Designed runs proved to be far less efficient touches. But, his budding prowess as a backyard playmaker is another reason to buy stock in this young man; especially when tracking his clutch play on the money down.
That said, there are some potential pot holes. Leavitt lacks prototypical size. Naturally, his average frame and lower release point invite batted balls. But, there’s some evidence he doesn't see the field all that well. He can dropback too deep in an effort to create himself some cushion. He can have slow eyes and lock onto his primary a few beats too long.
He can look to immediately bail if the defense throws an unanticipated curveball. He can pass up quick and easy flank throws misdiagnosing pre-snap offerings. He can be a little too hesitant to test the teeth of the defense if his vision is obstructed by linemen or second-level defenders. All in all, these flaws were reflected in Leavitt’s tepid down-to-down Success Rate in every breakout.
|
S. Leavitt |
Makeup |
Y/A |
ADOT |
Success% |
1D+TD% |
EXP% |
|
Outside Pocket |
22.8% |
6.9 |
14.7 |
29.6% |
27.3% |
15.9% |
|
Impact AVR |
16.5% |
5.98 |
10.5 |
38.8% |
31.8% |
6.9% |
|
S. Leavitt |
INTA% |
Adj Comp% |
Acc% |
DAA% |
UNC% |
Drop% |
|
Outside Pocket |
2.3% |
60.0% |
50.0% |
50.0% |
36.4% |
13.6% |
|
Impact AVR |
6.9% |
68.4% |
47.9% |
43.9% |
33.1% |
8.2% |
(STATS COLOR CODED BASED ON PERCENTILE AMONG 44 QBS IN 2025 IMPACT STUDY; TILT TABLE SIDEWAYS ON MOBILE)
Suggested by the play action usage, Arizona State’s scheme was also very QB-friendly. Only two of his peers posted a higher makeup of attempts off screens, RPO, or true play fakes than his 54.4% clip. That’s near Veer-and-Shoot territory. So, there is a real case to be made that Leavitt is an offensive executive benefitting from his environment. And pragmatically,, it's not worth nothing that his explosiveness quelled after Jordyn Tyson was lost to injury.
|
S. Leavitt |
ATT |
Y/A |
ANY/A |
ADOT |
Success% |
1D+TD% |
EXP% |
|
Pass “Floor" |
55 |
7.2 |
8.3 |
9.8 |
43.6% |
30.9% |
9.1% |
|
Impact AVR |
68 |
8.35 |
8.15 |
10.9 |
50.4% |
38.4% |
10.9% |
|
S. Leavitt |
INTA% |
Adj Comp% |
Acc% |
DAA% |
UNC% |
Drop % |
|
|
Pass “Floor" |
1.8% |
71.4% |
76.4% |
64.1% |
12.7% |
9.1% |
|
|
Impact AVR |
8.5% |
74.9% |
62.3% |
50.6% |
14.2% |
10.4% |
|
(STATS COLOR CODED BASED ON PERCENTILE AMONG 44 QBS IN 2025 IMPACT STUDY; TILT TABLE SIDEWAYS ON MOBILE)
Some of this is nitpicking. But outside of magically growing a few more inches, most of that stuff is correctable with more reps. And again, Leavitt’s overall profile is already stellar. Accurate, athletic, potent, prudent – sounds pretty good to me. He ought to get even better with time.
Bad Take Brooks Sees a
A poor man’s Aaron Rodgers type
GLOSSARY
