Evaluating the Idea of Drafting Garrett Nussmeier

There’s no doubt the Miami Dolphins need to invest in the quarterback position this offseason. Tua Tagovailoa isn’t the long-term answer, and the Dolphins won’t become a perennial contender without an upgrade.

However, finding that upgrade is easier said than done. We’ve already covered why it’s unlikely to happen at the top of the draft, and why the free agent market only has one good option.

But the 2026 NFL draft is seven rounds, and the Dolphins have five picks in the top 100. Why not take a shot at a quarterback after the first round? Well, that’s exactly what NFL Media draft analyst Chad Reuter had the Dolphins doing in his latest mock draft.

He had Miami selecting LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier 75th overall. Nussmeier was once viewed as a first-round prospect but fell down draft boards after a rough 2025 season.

With that in mind, let’s examine whether Nussmeier makes sense for the Dolphins.

Why Nussmeier Is a Good Fit

Nussmeier does some good things that should be appealing to offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. For starters, he’s probably one of the best pre-snap orchestrators in the class.

Nussmeier’s father, Doug, is the offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints, and it’s pretty easy to see that he’s prepared Garrett well for running an NFL offense.

The LSU QB had full control of protections, audibles, and full control to make adjustments on the fly. That’s pretty rare for a college passer, especially in the spread and shred era of college football.

Nussmeier is also a passer more than willing to stand in the pocket and deliver passes in the middle of the field with anticipation. He’ll hit zone windows on crossing routes with good pace and conviction.

That’s an incredibly important trait for any QB running the Shanahan-inspired offense that Slowik is likely to use in Miami.

Overall, Nussmeier sees the game like an NFL QB. He understands pre-snap checks, coverage alignments, and how to anticipate throwing windows. He’s also tough — Nussmeier will put his body on the line to make plays.

He’s also got 22 starts under his belt the past two seasons, throwing for 5,975 yards, 41 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions. It’s not an elite statistical profile, but it’s fine enough not to raise an immediate red flag.

Why Nussmeier Might Not Fit

There are a lot of holes to poke in Nussmeier’s game. For starters, this is a player with incredibly limited physical tools. He lacks the arm strength to be consistently accurate and on time to all three levels of the field.

He’s not exactly a good athlete, either, which makes him vulnerable to taking sacks. He created outside the structure in college, but that was more because he was panicking in the pocket than because he was properly dealing with pressure.

Additionally, Nussmeier is undersized. At the Senior Bowl, he came in at 6-1, 205 pounds, which is in the fourth percentile for a quarterback.

Pairing that light weight with the fact that Nussmeier has some injuries on his resume (namely an abdominal injury that forced him to miss four games), it’s hard to worry about his durability.

If this profile sounds similar to you, it’s because it’s the broad strokes of Tua Tagovailoa’s profile. Nussmeier and Tua play the game about as differently as you can, but both players are undersized with limited physical tools and a poor injury outlook.

Speaking on play style, while Nussmeier sees the game well before the snap, he can get fooled by post-snap rotations and shifts. Throwing 17 interceptions across his last 22 starts isn’t exactly ideal.

Verdict on Nussmeier

So, should the Dolphins consider adding Nussmeier? Despite the fact that I’m not overly thrilled with his draft profile, the Dolphins need to take swings at QB this offseason.

I’d prefer those swings to be on players with more upside, but there’s a version of history where Nussmeier can turn into a Brock Purdy-esque player in the Shanahan scheme. For a third-round pick, that’s a win.

Additionally, Nussmeier profiles as a long-term backup, even if he’s not good enough to become a franchise-changing talent. Miami has two other picks in the third round, so netting a long-term backup with one of them isn’t bad value.

How Miami decides to address QB this offseason will be a huge story, and it’s probably smart not to rule out a scenario like this one.

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