With the 2026 NFL Draft barely a month away, teams are nearly finalizing the general direction they want to take with how they want to build their roster. A draft that was supposed to be rife with quarterback talent has fallen short of those expectations.
In some cases, like with Garrett Nussmeier, injuries played a role in the league accurately judging his talent level. But even after an up-and-down year at LSU, two teams seem to have an interest in the youngster.
Where Could Garrett Nussmeier Find an NFL Home?
Sitting behind Jayden Daniels for the Tigers, he finally got his starting opportunity in 2024 and immediately exploded for 4,052 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, ranking at No. 12 on PFSN’s CFB QB Impact.
He was among the top prospects to watch in the 2025 collegiate season. Unfortunately, his second hurrah wasn’t as sensational. Suiting up in just nine games, he failed to cross the 2,000-yard mark, throwing just 12 touchdowns in the process.
He fell all the way to No. 110 on QBi, and a lot of his diminished production boiled down to an undisclosed abdominal injury he suffered in fall camp.
He was severely limited in his throwing ability and the power needed to generate quality throws. He was shut down before the final three games of the regular season but came back in time for the Senior Bowl, winning MVP honors with one touchdown and a two-point conversion throw to Notre Dame WR Malachi Fields.
While his injury and severely diminished play dropped him from the potential first-round selection many expected, interest in him isn’t completely dead just yet. NFL insider Tom Pelissero had an interesting revelation.
Posting on X, he revealed the New York Jets and the Los Angeles Rams as two teams to watch out for when it comes to Nussmeier. “With the Jets and Rams set to take a closer look soon at one of the draft’s intriguing QB prospects.”
The rationale for both teams will be wildly different when looking at a player like Nussmeier. The Jets, fresh off a disappointing first season under new head coach Aaron Glenn, are still searching for their long-term answer at quarterback.
They’ve brought in Geno Smith, but he can only be a placeholder under center at 35. The LSU product could be that answer, particularly if he gets some time to sit and learn under a veteran two-time Pro Bowler.
The Rams, while in a dramatically different place in the league, might have a similar idea in mind for Nussmeier. The rumors of Matthew Stafford retiring were ongoing all throughout the offseason before he rattled off the first MVP campaign of his career.
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While he’s returning for next season, as the organization tries to go all in on a potential Super Bowl run, they could take Nussmeier to groom him under one of the best quarterbacks of his generation.
Either path could make the Tigers’ star a household name and a starting quarterback in this league very soon. After a disappointing 2025 campaign that almost wrote him off completely, it might be the best possible situation for him.
