As we enter the final day of the 2026 NFL Draft, it feels like pretty much every team that was in the market for a young quarterback — whether as a day-one starter or a more developmental project — has already gotten its man. The Las Vegas Raiders, of course, took Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 overall. The Los Angeles Rams shocked everyone by using the No. 13 overall pick to take Ty SImpson as they plan for a post-Matthew Stafford future. And the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers took Carson Beck and Drew Allar, respectively, less as sure-fire QBs of the future than as lower-risk swings to bide time until 2027.

And yet, despite all that activity, it’s entirely possible that the best non-Mendoza quarterback in this year’s draft still remains on the board. LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier is a distressed asset right now for reasons largely out of his control, but he was a highly regarded prospect just nine months or so ago — and whichever team is willing to buy the dip could reap the rewards.

Don’t let Garrett Nussmeier’s nightmare season at LSU fool you

Nussmeier entered his final season at LSU as one of the very biggest names in his class; when our own Cody Williams put together his way-too-early 2026 mock draft at this time last year, he had Nussmeier at No. 1 overall to the New York Jets, and he was far from alone. He seemed to check just about every box, a coach’s son (Doug has been an NFL assistant for almost a decade and is currently the OC in New Orleans) who threw for over 4,000 yards with 29 touchdowns to 12 picks as a junior.

And then everything that could go wrong did go wrong in 2025. The Tigers offense never got off the ground, and Nussmeier’s numbers took a big dip: He averaged under seven yards per attempt while throwing 12 touchdowns and five picks in just nine games before being shut down for the season. He was one of the most disappointing players in the country, and his draft stock tanked as a result.

But you can make a convincing argument that what happened to LSU last year wasn’t really on Nussmeier. For starters, he was dogged all year by a core injury in fall camp, one that persisted until a medical evaluation at the Combine finally discovered the underlying cause: a cyst pressing on a nerve in his spine. You can imagine how that might affect his accuracy, arm strength and ability to push the ball down the field, all of which were calling cards of his previously. And it’s also worth pointing out that the Tigers were falling apart around him, with a lame-duck coaching staff and a struggling offensive line.

Given all of that context, which is more likely: That Nussmeier was never the prospect he thought he was, that he forgot how to play overnight or that he simply had a bad year due largely to bad luck? I understand why NFL teams weren’t willing to try to answer that question with a first- or even a second-round pick. On Day 3, though, it’s a no-brainer — because his tape at its best outpaces Simpson or anyone else not named Mendoza in this class.

Garrett Nussmeier, not Ty Simpson, is the true QB2 in this class — with real starter upside

There’s a reason why Nussmeier captivated college football fans and pro scouts alike in 2024: Not only did he have the arm to make darn near every throw, but he also has the anticipation and accuracy — plus a gunslinger’s confidence that has him always willing to push the ball down the field and play to win rather than play it safe.

Granted, that mentality can get him into trouble sometimes; even at his best, he still threw 12 interceptions, a number that belies some overaggressiveness at times. But it’s also worth noting just how much Kelly and LSU put on his plate in Baton Rouge: In the absence of any sort of consistent running game, he was asked to be a one-man offense, at times willing his team back into games (just look at the 2024 Ole Miss game, when he led the Tigers to an upset of a top-10 team despite running for 84 yards on 3.5 yards per carry).

If there’s another knock on Nussmeier, it’s his size: At 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, he’s worryingly small by NFL standards. But those numbers really aren’t very different from Simpson’s, who went within the first 13 picks — and unlike Simpson, Nussmeier offsets his lack of ideal frame or athleticism with pure arm talent. Also unlike Simpson, at least Nussmeier’s injury issue in 2025 has an explanation beyond simply getting worn down after taking too many hits.

Nussmeier is by no means a sure thing, and in a better QB class, his red flags might loom a little larger. Given the lack of better options behind Mendoza, though, I’m a little shocked he’s still out there to start Day 3. He has the arm talent and mentality, as well as the IQ, to be a genuine starter in the NFL with the right support around him. And isn’t that upside what teams should be drafting for, rather than simply avoiding risk? Unlike Beck, we know he can make all the throws, and unlike Allar, we’ve seen him at least produce at an elite level in college.

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