Did Garrett Nussmeier get drafted? Latest on LSU QB, reasons for slide

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.

Fast forward to April 2026, Nussmeier finallyt heard his name called in the final day of the draft.

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's slide down draft boards ended on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft. He was the 249th overall pick of the draft — just nine picks away from the end of the draft. He was

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 spots

Miami Dolphins

The 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 Lions

Teddy 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 Jets

The 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 Draft

Here'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 1
• Ty Simpson, Los Angeles Rams: Round 1, Pick 13
• Carson Beck, Arizona Cardinals: Round 3, Pick 65
• Drew Allar, Pittsburgh Steelers: Round 3, Pick 76
• Cade Klubnik, New York Jets: Round 4, Pick 110
• Cole Payton, Philadelphia Eagles: Round 5, Pick 178
• Taylen Green, Cleveland Browns: Round 6, Pick 182
• Behren Morton, New England Patriots: Round 7, Pick 234
• Garrett Nussmeier, Kansas City Chiefs: Round 7, Pick 249