Is Garrett Nussmeier draft eligible? Taking a closer look at LSU's QB draft prospects

Garrett Nussmeier took over starting quarterback duties for the LSU Tigers in his junior year following Jayden Daniels' departure to the NFL. Filling the shoes of a Heisman-winning quarterback is never easy, but Nussmeier hasn't done a bad job. Currently, he has the Tigers at 6-3 with the three losses being to ranked schools (USC, Texas A&M, and Alabama).

While Nussmeier has the ability to accumulate yardage, it's been paired with a tendency to put the ball at risk leading to a 1.9:1 TD/Int ratio.

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That's why many believe, despite his eligibility to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft, he will return for another season with the Tigers. His performances have been good enough to get drafted at some point over seven rounds, but he would do well to go back to LSU for another year and try to become a more reliable passer.

Let's consider Nussmeier waited three seasons to get the coveted LSU starting job. This season, the Tigers almost certainly out of contention for the SEC title game, and their chance at the playoff is even more slim.

You don't wait three years to be LSU's starting quarterback and settle for a potential 9-3 finish and an unknown bowl invite.

How high could Nussmeier go if selected in the 2025 NFL Draft?

Despite what's been said above, Nussmeier is pretty well-liked by the analysts. A majority of them consider him a bonafide first-round pick if he declares. CBS's Chris Traspasso even picked him as high as No. 7 in his latest mock draft. Trasspasso believes he would be a great choice for the New York Giants to replace the struggling Daniel Jones. The Cowboys could be another franchise in search of a quarterback during the offseason.

So far in 2024, Jones has thrown for 2,866 yards, 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He has a completion percentage of 62.7% and a QBR of 79.3 which ranks him 13th among NFL passers.

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