2026 NFL Draft Buzz: Final Projections for LSU Football, Garrett Nussmeier's Stock

Nussmeier's stock continues hovering as a Day 2 selection, buzz brewing surrounding where he could land.

Courtesy of LSU Tigers Football.

The LSU Tigers are once again expected to be well-represented in this year's NFL Draft with Mansoor Delane, Garrett Nussmeier, and A.J. Haulcy headlining the program's eligible players from the 2025 roster.

The 2026 NFL Draft will open on Thursday night at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN for Round 1 followed by rounds two and three on Friday beginning at 6 p.m. CT.

The final four rounds of the NFL Draft will take place on Saturday starting at 11 a.m. CT with multiple LSU Tigers on organizations' radars.

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier remains this year's NFL Draft "mystery" as he prepares to hear his name called.

The Bayou Bengals' starting signal-caller suffered a "core/ab injury" last fall that limited his production in a significant way where he ultimately missed the final three games of the season.

Nussmeier - while dealing with the unspecified injury - completed 67.4 percent of his passes for 1,927 yards with 12 touchdowns and five interceptions in nine games.

Courtesy of LSU Tigers Football.

Now, as Draft Day nears, there is a new update on Nussmeier's status via NFL Network's Tom Pelissero - which could ultimately give NFL franchises a clearer picture on what's to come.

“Garrett Nussmeier underwent tests at the NFL combine that revealed a cyst on his spine — the root cause of the persistent oblique pain that derailed his 2025 season, sources say,” Pelissero wrote on X. “The cyst was pressing on a nerve, causing discomfort in Nussmeier’s oblique.

“He has been asymptomatic since just prior to the Senior Bowl and all throughout the draft process; if that changes down the road, Nussmeier could undergo a minimally invasive procedure and miss just 2-3 weeks while stitches heal.

"Either way, doctors say, there is no short- or long-term risk for Nussmeier, who is projected a mid-round pick in this week’s NFL Draft.“

The NFL Draft is now roughly 24 hours away from opening. Where did the eligible Tigers land in the final mocks?

The Final Mock Drafts: LSU Tigers Edition

Jordan Reid via ESPN

• Mansoor Delane: No. 8 New Orleans Saints
• AJ Haulcy: No. 53 Pittsburgh Steelers
• Garrett Nussmeier: No. 93 Los Angeles Rams
• Harold Perkins Jr.: No. 135 Pittsburgh Steelers
• Zavion Thomas: No. 217 Arizona Cardinals
• Barion Brown: No. 246 Denver Broncos

Courtesy of LSU Tigers Football.

Chad Reuter via NFL.com

- Mansoor Delane: No. 7 Washington Commanders
- AJ Haulcy: No. 54 Philadelphia Eagles
- Garrett Nussmeier: No. 76 Pittsburgh Steelers
- Harold Perkins Jr.: No. 91 Buffalo Bills
- Patrick Payton: No. 243 Houston Texans

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