CBS Sports Labels LSU Football Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier a 2025 Heisman Contender

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier revealed last week that he would be returning to Baton Rouge for the 2025 season with unfinished business in the purple and gold.

Nussmeier, the Tigers' starting signal-caller in 2024, will look to build off of a productive redshirt-junior campaign for the Bayou Bengals this fall.

The Lake Charles native bypassed the 2025 NFL Draft where he had the chance to be a Top-5 quarterback taken in April.

Instead, he'll return to LSU for his final season of eligibility under Brian Kelly.

It's a monumental decision for Nussmeier with the Tigers retaining their cornerstone to the program for one more season.

“This year was a huge growth year for me,” Nussmeier said after the Oklahoma game. “I said in September I hoped I would be a better player by the end of the year than I was then and I think that has proven to be true. Our team got better throughout the year and there were things we had to fix and we improved. I’m happy for us and our team and for me personally, I continued to grow my game and I look forward to continuing to do that into the offseason.”

Now, he's a name to watch for the 2025 Heisman Trophy, according to CBS Sports' Blake Brockermeyer:

"I love his gunslinger mentality and reminds me a little of Brett Favre in that regard. He has a big arm and can throw into high windows. I expect he will be surrounded by a solid supporting cast in 2025 and should put up big numbers and on big stages.”

Other outlets are also in on Nussmeier as a frontrunner:

College football’s 2025 Heisman frontrunners …

Arch Manning, QB, Texas
LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina
Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
Sam Leavitt, QB, Arizona State
Ryan Williams, WR, Alabama
Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU
DJ Lagway, QB, Florida
— Brad Crawford (@BCrawford247) December 15, 2024

Nussmeier bleeds purple and gold. He's shown that time and time again after remaining in Baton Rouge when he easily could have entered the NCAA Transfer Portal.

But no moment proved that more than the regular season finale after Nussmeier took a sack against Oklahoma, went to the locker room for X-rays and came back to play in the final two and a half quarters to lead LSU to victory.

“We had a talk and I told him there was no way I was sitting out. A lot of these guys have busted their butts for the last year. LSU means the world to me and I bleed these colors no matter what anyone has to say about me. There was no way I was going to watch that game from the sideline and let those seniors go without me playing. There was no option in my head. whatever we had to do to get back out there.”

Now, moving forward, LSU's pitch to Transfer Portal wide receivers will be much easier with Nussmeier at the helm of the offense.

A signal-caller that isn't scared to take the top off of the defense, he's a wideout's dream heading into the 2025 season.

Nussmeier will look to develop this offseason after piecing together a 2024 campaign where he totaled 3,738 yards, 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 12 games played.

LSU's franchise quarterback will be back in the purple and gold next fall with all eyes on him heading into the 2025 season.

More LSU News:

Paul Finebaum: LSU, Brian Kelly in a "Really Bad Spot" Moving Forward

LSU Dishes Out Offer to No. 1 Quarterback in America

Nick Saban Calls LSU Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier a "Sleeper" Ahead of 2024 Season

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