It seemed like quarterback Garrett Nussmeier had so much going for him heading into the 2025 season. Nussmeier was coming off a season where he threw for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns.
During the offseason, his dad, Doug Nussmeier, was hired as the Saints' offensive coordinator. The fifth-year senior got engaged. He wore the number 18 jersey, which is reserved for the LSU player with great leadership skills and high character.
Nussmeier was set to be a first-round draft pick in 2026 with another 4,000-yard passing season.
But it never materialized. Nussmeier suffered an abdominal injury in preseason camp that never fully healed. He played behind a poor offensive line. He had a receiving corps that never lived up to expectations, and his head coach got fired before November.
Usually, first-round picks at quarterback do not participate in the Senior Bowl. But Nussmeier is no longer a projected first-round pick, which is why he’s in Mobile, Alabama, trying to build up his draft stock.
ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper has Nussmeier as the 6th best quarterback in this draft class.
But another ESPN NFL Draft analyst, Jordan Reid, has Nussmeier as the fourth-best quarterback in the class. Reid has Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza first, followed by Alabama’s Ty Simpson, and Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss is third. But if the courts rule in Chambliss’s favor, he will play for the Rebels next season.
Reid said Nussmeier will be the most impressive passer at the Senior Bowl because his anticipation and accuracy will shine in this setting. Reid believed Nussmeier can improve his draft projections, which currently range from the third to the sixth round.
Nuss will have to answer questions about his injury-plagued season at LSU.
He spoke about the injury with reporters before workouts started on Tuesday.
“I got re-injured towards the end of the season, so I’ve been working really hard trying to get back healthy, and as soon as we realized I could go do this, it was a no-brainer.”
In an interview with the ESPN Baton Rouge radio show, Off the Bench, hosted by former LSU greats Jacob Hester and Matt Flynn, Nussmeier admitted he couldn’t use his core when throwing the football.
That explains why his passing yards per game went from 312 yards in 2024 to 214 in 2025. Plus, he played in front of a poor offensive line.
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Nussmeier said the ball is definitely coming out a lot differently now.
The Nuss Bus has a chance to show its back on track in Saturday’s Senior Bowl. His father played in the Senior Bowl in 1994.
“My Dad has taught me so much, I’m very grateful to have him,” Nussmeier said. “He’s been coaching me up on things, helping me act like a pro, even when I was in college. Obviously, now going through the ins and outs and the questions that are going to be asked.”
We will see if he provides the right answers on and off the field to move up the draft boards and at least hear his name called on the second day of the draft.
The Senior Bowl is this Saturday at 1:30 on the NFL Network.