Multiple Power Four general managers told On3 that LSU built the most expensive football roster in the sport entering 2026 — north of $40M and, by some estimates, closer to $50M — after new coach Lane Kiffin (a $91M hire) landed the No. 1 transfer class, headlined by a reported $5M deal for quarterback Sam Leavitt.
Beyond football, LSU spends like a blue blood across women's sports (basketball star Flau'jae Johnson, championship gymnastics) and baseball, where Jay Johnson's program remains a College World Series fixture. The result is the No. 2 all-sport NIL budget in the country.
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The Sideline Staff·NIL Desk