Film Grade: 88 (Late 1st/Early 2nd)
Looking ahead to the 2026 NFL Draft class, Garrett Nussmeier’s name is generating a lot of buzz in QB1 conversations. Heading into his final year of eligibility, he has a chance to send a message to NFL teams considering a quarterback. Nussmeier will enter his second year as a starter for the Tigers, who recently added two more weapons via the transfer portal (Nic Anderson/Barion Brown) to complement Aaron Anderson.
With this much firepower on offense, many fans are expecting a big year from Nussmeier, and rightfully so. Last season, Garrett Nussmeier finished with 32 total touchdowns (29 passing/ 3 rushing), 12 interceptions, 4,052 passing yards, and a 64.2 completion rate. Playing in the highly competitive SEC conference, Nussmeier has a chance to improve his draft stock going into next summer.
Teams will fall in love with his elite pocket presence, willingness and ability to throw the ball downfield, and his ability to operate in a tight pocket. With that combination of positives, it will be hard for teams to pass up on Nussmeier next year. If he can limit the turnovers and not make so many dangerous throws, he will establish himself as one of the elite quarterback prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Positives:
- Elite pocket movement
- Solid mechanics/footwork
- Able to throw players open
- High IQ player who gets through his reads and can do a lot of good things pre-snap
- Athletic enough to extend plays
- Has the arm talent to make any throw
- Throws with anticipation
- Has the ability to deliver accurate throws while on the run
- Makes good decisions on RPOs
- Has shown the ability to make throws into tight windows
- Can deliver in clutch situations
- Is able to keep his eyes downfield and operate in tight/congested pockets
- 31 completions of 20+ yard throws last season (2nd amongst returning QBs)
- Played hurt vs. Oklahoma and put up an elite performance
Negatives:
- Turns the ball over way too much
- Limited production on the ground even though he is a good athlete
- Makes bad decisions trying to play hero ball
- Sometimes locks onto his target pre-snap
- Too many dangerous throws
- Some decisions he makes with the football are head-scratching
- Touch on deep throws can be inconsistent in some games
Final Thoughts
Overall, I really like Garrett Nussmeier as a prospect and expect him to make a big leap in this upcoming season. Although his current grade is not higher than the other quarterbacks I have reviewed, I believe he has a really good chance at passing them by the end of the season.
Watching his tape, he has a lot of throws that wow you, but the turnovers are just killers. If he can learn to value possessions more and not constantly make dangerous decisions, he has a great shot at being QB1. Nussmeier has the chance to compete against some of the other top QB prospects and make a statement.
Watch out for Nussmeier and LSU in this upcoming season. Teams that are in need of a franchise QB will be watching his performance closely.
My name is Owen Denny and I am a 19 year old Sport Management Major. My goal is to become a NFL scout or NFL analyst. Follow my Twitter OwenDennyNFL for my scouting posts. My DMs are open for any opportunities or questions.
