Garrett Nussmeier

Draft-Week Buzz

• 2026-04-15 [Steelers visit] — PIT hosted — R1 QB trade-up target at #21
• 2026-04-08 [Pro Day] — 4.82 40 at 6-2, 200
• 2026-03-28 [Manning Award] — Manning Award semifinalist post-season

Buzz items pulled from beat-writer reports, ESPN/NFL.com transactions, Pro Day recaps, and verified Top 30 visit reports in the 30 days leading into the 2026 NFL Draft. Each linked headline goes to the original source. See our full draft-week news tab for cross-prospect timeline.

Combine / Pro Day Measurables (reported)

Numbers compiled from NFL Scouting Combine results, Pro Day box scores, and beat-writer reports. "Reported" means cross-referenced against multiple sources; verify on nfl.com/combine for definitive marks.

College Career Stats

• 2022-23 LSU: limited relief behind Jayden Daniels
• 2024 LSU (Jr, first-year starter): 4,052 yds, 29 TD, 12 INT, 64.2%
• 2025 LSU (Sr): 3,516 yds, 26 TD, 10 INT, 63.8% — Manning Award semifinalist

NFL Pro Comparison

Derek Carr (lower-end variant) — tough, anticipatory QB with fringe-starter floor and NFL veteran ceiling

Mock-Draft Consensus

30-day trend: Stable — Steelers target

Ranks cross-referenced from ESPN's Jordan Reid top-500, PFF's 2026 Big Board top-200, and Daniel Jeremiah's top-50 (NFL.com). Realistic draft-night range reflects projected team fit and trade scenarios, not just big-board placement.

Advanced Stats & Production

Metrics blended from PFF grade sheets, school box scores, and Combine/Pro Day box scores. Position-specific: QB shows efficiency + turnover rates, WR/TE show route-running + contested-catch, OL shows pass-block grade + pressures allowed, EDGE/IDL show pass-rush win rate + pressure rate, LB/DB show coverage grade + missed-tackle rate.

Outcome Range

• Floor: High-quality backup with 2-4 year starter window
• Median: Five-year NFL starter — playoff-capable QB2 tier
• Ceiling: Pro Bowl QB in a creative offense (McVay / Shanahan)

Scheme Fit

Air Raid / Shanahan play-action; excels when protection holds and he can anticipate

Pre-Draft Visits

Top-30 visits with the Pittsburgh Steelers, New Orleans Saints (hometown), and New York Giants

Signature College Game

2025 vs Alabama: 4 TDs, 385 yards, game-winning drive in a 31-28 LSU upset

Sources

• ESPN Player Page
• Wikipedia
• LSU Athletics

Our scouting profile is assembled from these primary sources + cross-checked against ESPN (Kiper / Reid / Miller), PFF's 2026 Big Board, Dane Brugler's The Beast 2026, and Daniel Jeremiah's top-50. See our full methodology and citations.

Day 2 / Day 3 Team Fits

NFL teams that lost a same-position veteran this offseason — and could target Garrett Nussmeier as a Day 2/3 replacement option.

• REPORTED Las Vegas Raiders: moved on from Geno Smith (pocket-QB).
  Picks held: R1 #1; R2 #36
• REPORTED Arizona Cardinals: moved on from Kyler Murray (pocket-QB).
  Picks held: R1 #3; R2 #34

Confidence: "VERIFIED" departures cite a publication URL (Spotrac, OverTheCap, ESPN, NFL.com, team transactions page) confirming the move and date. "REPORTED" entries come from public free-agency trackers without a single canonical source we could attach. Fits are archetype-and-position based; we are not claiming the team has expressed interest in the prospect.

NFL Scheme Fit

Scheme matches are bucketed from the prospect's height, weight, and (for WRs) archetype tag against a static lookup of which NFL teams currently run each scheme family.

Rookie Contract & Landing-Spot Outlook

Contract band uses the 2026 NFL CBA rookie wage scale projected from the prospect's expected pick range; guarantee % is the slot-default at that pick. Landing-spot best/worst case is derived from TEAMS data (positional needs + scheme overlap minus same-position R1 conflicts) — not a claim that either team has expressed interest.

Versatility, Limits & Roster Pathway

Derived from height/weight against the 2026 position cohort and the prospect's projected round. Versatility callouts identify alternate alignments NFL teams have historically used for similar size profiles. Limiting-trait notes flag the single most-cited measurable concern; severity reflects how often that flag ends a Day 1 starter projection. Roster-pathway notes describe the realistic Year 1 NFL role for Day 3 picks.

By the Numbers — 2026 Class Context

• Frame: Among 2026 QB prospects, his 6-2 / 200 lbs frame sits at the 57th percentile in height and 13th percentile in weight.
• Position class: Garrett Nussmeier is QB #3 of 30 ranked QBs in the 2026 class. Of those, 3 are projected in the R2 range.
• School pipeline: One of 13 LSU prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft — but the only QB.

Computed factually from the 2026 prospect class roster — height/weight percentiles benchmark this player against every other ranked prospect at the same position. Recruiting arc compares his high-school 247Sports/Rivals composite to his current projected round.

Garrett Nussmeier’s NFL Archetype: Tua Tagovailoa

Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins)

Closest QB physical profile in the modern NFL: 6-2/200 lbs. Same frame, same role bucket — NOT a talent or career-arc projection.

Note: this is a physical-profile match — frame, position, role bucket. Not a talent or career-arc projection.

Similar Quarterback Prospects

Closest matches to Garrett Nussmeier (6-2 / 200 lbs, #3 QB) by ranking proximity and physical profile. SIZE MATCH = within 1″ height and 10 lbs; TIER MATCH = within 2 ranking spots.

• Ty SimpsonTIER MATCH Alabama · 6-2/215 lbs · #2 QB · R1 20-40
• Cade KlubnikSIZE MATCH Clemson · 6-2/195 lbs · #6 QB · R3
• Behren MortonSIZE MATCH Texas Tech · 6-2/205 lbs · #9 QB · R4-R5
• Avery JohnsonSIZE MATCH Kansas State · 6-1/205 lbs · #8 QB · R4
• Carson BeckTIER MATCH Miami (FL) · 6-4/220 lbs · #5 QB · R2-R3

→ Full Quarterbacks rankings

LSU & The 2026 Class