Perhaps no one had a more grueling 2025 college football season than Garrett Nussmeier.The LSU signal-caller entered the season with preseason hype to be a Heisman Trophy contender and as the potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.REQUIRED READING: NFL draft tracker: Analysis for every pick in second- and third-round in 2026Fast forward to April 2026, Nussmeier has yet to hear his name called through the first two days and three rounds of the draft on Thursday, April 23 and Friday, April 24.Nussmeier — the son of current New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier — saw his senior season come to an end after just nine games. He did not have quite the same season and ability shown as he did in 2024, which built the hype going into 2025.So what happened to the player who was at one time projected as a top pick and when can we expect him to come off the board?
Here's the latest on Nussmeier's status in the 2026 NFL Draft.Did Garrett Nussmeier get drafted?Nussmeier was not drafted on Day 1 or Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft. Only two quarterbacks came off the board on the first night, with Mendoza going No. 1 to the Las Vegas Raiders and Ty Simpson being the surprise pick of the first round to the Los Angeles Rams at No. 13.While no QBs were selected in the second round, Miami QB Carson Beck was the first pick of the third round by the Arizona Cardinals. A few picks later, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected former Penn State signal-caller Drew Allar.Nussmeier entered the draft as the USA TODAY Sports' draft expert Ayrton Ostly's third-ranked QB.Why did Garrett Nussmeier drop in the draft?Nussmeier entered the 2025 season with Heisman Trophy hype and a potential candidate to be the No. 1 overall pick, but never lived up to it due to injuries and inconsistent play.
It started with a knee injury before his senior season and then an oblique injury during his first three starts of the season, which caused his throws to have less zip than usual. It was later revealed at the NFL combine the extent of Nussmeier's injury was worse than initially thought, with a cyst on his spine reportedly pushing on a nerve.Eventually, in early November, LSU opted to shut Nussmeier down, giving the reins to Michael Van Buren during a 20-9 loss to Alabama.Nussmeier finished his senior season with 1,927 yards passing, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions. He failed to eclipse 300 yards passing in a single game in 2025, after having eight such games in 2024.Garrett Nussmeier landing spotsMiami DolphinsThe Dolphins paid a hefty price to let Tua Tagovailoa go as their starter following another down season.
They did sign Malik Willis early in free agency, but the jury is still out on whether he's their future at the most important position.Detroit LionsTeddy Bridgewater is the backup to Jared Goff, and he was coaching high school football at the beginning of the season. The Lions need more youth at the position and Nussmeier could be a good fit.New York JetsThe Jets traded for Geno Smith after the Justin Fields experiment failed last season. That means the franchise is still searching for an answer at the position.
It would only make sense to take a chance on a QB who is the son of a former coach to help stabilize the position going forward.QBs drafted in 2026 NFL DraftHere's a look at the list of quarterbacks that have been picked in the 2026 NFL Draft:Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders: Round 1, Pick 1Ty Simpson, Los Angeles Rams: Round 1, Pick 13Carson Beck, Arizona Cardinals: Round 3, Pick 65Drew Allar, Pittsburgh Steelers: Round 3, Pick 76This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Where is Garrett Nussmeier? Live updates on LSU QB in 2026 NFL Draft