College Football Analyst Provides Bold Take for LSU's Garrett Nussmeier in 2025

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier continues working through a critical offseason in his development with lofty expectations in 2025.

Nussmeier, who's coming off of a productive first season as the starting signal-caller for the Tigers, will look to take his game up a notch this fall.

He will look to develop across the next few months after piecing together a 2024 campaign where he totaled 3,738 yards, 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 12 games played.

"Garrett's fabulous. I've enjoyed coaching him every year in all his different situations and how he's grown, how he's matured, and just the man he's becoming; who he's becoming not only as a football player but as a person," offensive coordinator Joe Sloan said during Spring Camp.

"Garrett was prepared to play, but then there are certain things that he needed to go through that you can only get prepared for by playing. You can only get the experience by playing. I think he's learned from that."

Heading into 2025, the LSU coaching staff expects a different version of Nussmeier after gaining experience in his first season as the starter.

"This offseason, he's been able to be a little bit different because now he's going back and when he's studying, he's not just studying his practice tape or maybe our tape and what could happen. He's looking at specifically some stuff that he needs to improve on," Sloan said.

"He's been really intentional. I think really some of our staff did a great job of breaking some different things down for him so he could really see some individual things and he could take back control of those situations."

Now, after making the decision to return to Baton Rouge for the 2025 season, national analysts have begun placing lofty expectations on Nussmeier.

He's a player that will be at the forefront of the Heisman Trophy conversation heading into next season, but others believe he has the intangibles to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

"I think the first pick pick in the draft next year will likely be Garrett Nussmeier. He's a gunslinger. He kind of reminds me a little bit of Brett Favre the way he plays. He can throw it in the tight windows that the NFL really covets," CBS Sports' Blake Brockermeyer said.

"He's a player. He kind of struggled a little bit in some big moments last year, but I'm expecting him to rebound and have a huge season."

"I think the first pick in the draft next year will likely be Garrett Nussmeier."

- @BBrockermeyerFW gives prediction for the LSU star QB in 2026 NFL Draft. pic.twitter.com/eJ4hrMJMtz
— Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) April 16, 2025

Nussmeier will be surrounded by a myriad of weapons offensively after the program added a trio of wideouts via the Transfer Portal in Nic Anderson [Oklahoma], Barion Brown [Kentucky] and Destyn Hill [Florida State].

The Tigers also return key pieces Aaron Anderson, Chris Hilton, Kyle Parker and Zavion Thomas, among others.

"I've really seen his leadership. I think his confidence and who he is as a person, just his leadership carry over. He was always a leader," Sloan said.

"But I think he's done an excellent job of that, just really being organic, being real, being genuine. The guys are gravitating to it. It's been good to see."

More LSU News:

Three LSU Targets to Know: Louisiana Prospects the Tigers "Must" Land

The Buzz: Latest on the No. 1 Safety in America, Five-Star LSU Target

Prized LSU Commitment '100%' Locked in with the Tigers

Join the Community:

Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Tigers On SI: @LSUTigersSI for all coverage surrounding the LSU program.