Garrett Nussmeier Using Senior Bowl MVP to Rebuild His NFL Draft stock

It wasn't that long ago that LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier was in the conversation as a potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft. After an underwhelming final collegiate campaign in Baton Rouge, those appearances at the top of NFL mock drafts seemed like distant crazy talk.

Now that Nussmeier has earned the Senior Bowl MVP and showed off his impressive skills nicely in the week of practices in Mobile, the first-round draft talk is back. In a class that is perceived to be quite weak at quarterback after Indiana's Heisman-winning Fernando Mendoza, Nussmeier's healthy showing in the Senior Bowl has him back in the conversation to be the second QB off the board in April.

Many analysts have quickly elevated Nussmeier back up in the quarterback draft rankings. Notably, Todd McShay of The Ringer gushed praise over Nussmeier's week in chilly Alabama on his podcast,

"I thought he looked pretty good on the first day, second day I thought he looked really good, [the third day] I thought he was -- and really the last two days -- the best quarterback. And it's not because of his size, it's not because of his elite arm, it's not because of his mobility. It's his feel for the game."

Eric Edholm of NFL.com also liked what he saw from Nussmeier, who missed significant time in 2025 with an oblique injury,

"LSU's Garrett Nussmeier had plenty to gain this week, and he did a good job of reminding scouts he can still play. After two-plus months of inactivity, Nussmeier had a very solid week of practice, seemingly getting more comfortable with each passing day, and he was effective on Saturday.

"Starting for the American Team, Nussmeier earned game MVP honors, leading touchdown drives on the squad's first two possessions and connecting on 5 of 8 passes for 57 yards."

Between the injury, LSU's disappointing 7-6 season and concerns over his size, Nussmeier had fallen well out of the discussion of top quarterbacks in the draft class. While he was a popular projection as the first overall pick as recently as September, Nussmeier wasn't always projected at all in more recent three-round mocks.

The official weigh-in might have helped Nussmeier regain some status, too. After speculation that he was playing well below 200 pounds crept into message boards and social media. Nussmeier was officially measured at 6-foot-1 and 202 pounds. It's still on the smaller side but passable in (most) NFL eyes. Durability issues will still be a concern after his oblique injury and a previous bout with patellar tendonitis, however.

During Senior Bowl practices, there was no sign of the injury. Nussmeier talked about how much it had impacted his mechanics and mindset during LSU's season, and that certainly checks out in watching his game film from 2025. He delivered crisp, accurate throws with confidence and a strong platform throughout the three sessions in Mobile. It was an excellent job in rebuilding his draft stock by Nussmeier. Expect to see him hovering back in the first-round range in the next wave of post-Senior Bowl mock drafts.