GarrettNussmeier

Nussmeier is a plucky pocket passer with an aggressive mentality who needs to adopt some game-manager tendencies if he’s going to end up as a starter in the NFL. A two-year starter for the Tigers and the son of Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, he’s a steely signal caller who goes through his progressions quickly to find the open man. He’s comfortable in the pocket, using subtle movement to buy himself time and the chance to find throwing lanes. He shows good touch on deep sideline routes and can layer his passes, toggling between throw velocities to give his receiver the best chance to make the grab. He throws with good timing on out-breaking routes, getting the ball out before the receiver breaks. He loves to rip passes down the middle of the field and is willing to throw it into tight windows. He has a quick release and can speed up his motion when he needs to get the ball out under duress, changing his arm slot to fit it around oncoming pass rushers. He’s not a dual-threat quarterback, but he has enough athleticism to make things happen out of structure; he keeps his eyes downfield when scrambling outside the pocket and has had some impressive throws on the run. 

Nussmeier lacks prototypical size and too often pairs “wow” throws with head-scratching decisions. He trusts his arm too much on throws into tight coverage, often putting the ball in danger. He’s too willing to throw off his back foot and often passes without getting his feet set. His ball placement is inconsistent, and he too often led his receivers into big hits. An injury-marred 2025 campaign further muddies his projection. He suffered an abdominal injury before the season and aggravated it early in the campaign, and the injury clearly affected his play down the stretch (and he didn’t play the final four games of the season). He’s an older prospect who turned 24 years old in February.