LSU Football 2026 NFL Draft Tracker: Garrett Nussmeier Remains Tiger To Monitor

Nussmeier remains one of the top names on the board, Tigers signal-caller waiting to hear name called.

Courtesy of LSU Tigers Football.

The LSU Tigers sent shockwaves across the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday night with cornerback Mansoor Delane coming off the board as the No. 6 overall selection in the first round.

In what became an early Draft Day trade, the Cleveland Browns traded the No. 6 pick to the Kansas City Chiefs - ultimately selecting Delane as the first cornerback taken off the board.

Delane will join the Chiefs dynasty where he will share a locker room with NFL icon Patrick Mahomes where he revealed his first question he wants to ask him.

"How are you great, the way you great," Delane said. "I think I want to learn around from just every type of person I get around that's the best to do it, I want to take a little something from them.

"Just to be able to pick his brain, whether it's the way he takes care of his body or the way he approaches the game...there's a reason he's great the way he is, so I want to try and find that."

Now, with Delane off the board, which Tiger could be next to hear their name called? Will it be quarterback Garrett Nussmeier? Linebacker Harold Perkins?

The 2026 NFL Draft opened on Thursday night at 7 p.m. CT for Round 1 with Rounds 2 and 3 beginning on Friday at 6 p.m. CT.

Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; LSU Tigers defensive back Mansoor Delane is selected by the Kansas City Chiefs as the number six pick during the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Nussmeier remains a hot commodity ahead of Day 2 where the Louisiana native will look to hear his name called after NFL organizations gained clarity on his status from a health perspective this week.

“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,” Tom 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.“

LSU Tigers on the Board:

Offense:

QB Garrett Nussmeier
WR Aaron Anderson
WR Barion Brown
WR Chris Hilton Jr.
WR Zavion Thomas
TE Bauer Sharp
OL Josh Thompson

Defense:

EDGE Jimari Butler
EDGE Patrick Payton
EDGE Jack Pyburn
DL Jacobian Guillory
DL Bernard Gooden
LB Harold Perkins
LB West Weeks
S AJ Haulcy

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