UCLA Faces Uphill Battle in Colton Nussmeier Recruitment

Bruins take another big swing at quarterback, but landing him will be a challenge.

May 2, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins coach Bob Chesney reacts during the spring game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins continue to take big swings on the recruiting trail as they look for a quarterback to add to an already stellar 2027 recruiting class, and a new name emerged this week in four-star signal-caller Colton Nussmeier.

Nussmeier is the latest offer for the Bruins as they ramp up their efforts to add to their top-six class, but they'll face an uphill battle to land him.

All Glory to God!! Thankful to have received an offer from UCLA #4sup @DRR_Recruiting @adamgorney @samspiegs @MikeRoach247 @CoachReynolds23 @Tolleson20 @CoachBobChesney pic.twitter.com/XyQ5oWsero

— Colton Nussmeier (@coltonnussmeier) May 13, 2026

The Battle For Colton Nussmeier

UCLA comes a little late to the party in this battle, as Colton Nussmeier already had 21 Power Four offers before receiving one from the Bruins. That isn't always an indicative measure of where things stand, as most high-profile quarterback recruits will have their pick of the litter, but Nussmeier also already has campus visits scheduled before even putting UCLA on the radar.

A strong number of those campuses are in SEC country, where he has strong roots because of his father and his older brother. His father, Doug Nussmeier, is a veteran college and NFL quarterback coach and offensive coordinator who currently runs the New Orleans Saints' offense and has made stops at Florida and Alabama, while his brother Garrett just finished his college career as LSU's starting quarterback.

Jul 28, 2025; Metairie, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier looks on at Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Colton may want to carve out his own legacy, but with his familiarity in the conference and being a Texas kid, that could easily just mean doing it at another SEC school. After all, the Tigers and Gators have not received visits from him yet, and Arkansas and Georgia could provide enticing opportunities in that department.

Most consider the Bulldogs and the Razorbacks the favorites to land him at this point.

Nussmeier As A Recruit

Georgia and Arkansas are battling for the nation's top uncommitted QB Colton Nussmeier, @samspiegs reports👀

UCLA is also looking to jump in the mix...

Details: https://t.co/1Z1r4yOeM5 pic.twitter.com/pdONDG9UNV

— Rivals (@Rivals) May 15, 2026

Nussmeier is a top-20 player in Texas and the No. 10 quarterback in the 2027 national recruiting class, making him the third top-10 quarterback to receive an offer from UCLA, and at least the third signal-caller in his class to receive increased attention from the Bruins in the last week or so.

He takes care of the football, with only five interceptions in three seasons. However, Nussmeier will face a couple of challenges entering his senior season. Not only is he coming off a season-ending knee injury, but he's transferring across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, from Flower Mound Marcus to Denton Ryan.

May 2, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins players enter the field during the spring game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Despite that, UCLA's odds of landing him remain slim, and the Bruins may be better off focusing on more realistic options at this point. Many of them are around the same skill level, so there shouldn't be much drop-off.

Still, it's good to see UCLA continue to take shots at recruits among the "big boys" of college football. It shows this new staff means business, truly wants to succeed, and will not shy away from competition, no matter the odds. That should pay off in their recruiting efforts in the future.