Following his 2024 season, in which he threw for 4,052 yards, 29 touchdowns and completed 64% of his passes, Garrett Nussmeier looked like a sure first round draft pick in 2026, if he put together another good season in 2025.
Brought to you by TRANESOUTH: It's hard to stop a Tranewww.audacy.comBut Nussmeier failed to throw for 2,000 yards as a torso and abdominal injury limited severely limited his production.
Despite the injury marred season, Nussmeier was expected to be third quarterback taken following Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson.
In one of the more stunning developments of the 2026 NFL draft, Nussmeier did not get selected until the 7th round when the Kansas City Chiefs decided to take a flyer on the Lake Charles native.
Nine quarterbacks were selected before Nussmeier including Athan Kaliakmanis from Rutgers and Texas Tech’s Behren Mortan, both were taken in the seventh round ahead of Nussmeier.
.@LSUfootball QB Garrett Nussmeier got emotional after getting drafted to the @Chiefs 🥹
NFL Draft on NFLN/ESPN/ABC
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— NFL (@NFL) April 25, 2026
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported at the beginning of the week it was a cyst on his spine pressing on a nerve that caused his oblique pain.
You have to wonder if the medicals are much worse than that for him to fall to the 7th round.
Atlanta selected LB Harold Perkins in the 6th round
New Orleans native Harold Perkins will get his first NFL opportunity with the Atlanta Falcons. Perkins is another former Tiger who looked like a first round pick at one time. Perkins was one of the major stories of college football during his freshman season as he flashed big play ability.
But injuries and struggle to find a proper role in LSU’s defense kept him from producing the play making ability he flashed his freshman season.
