The quarterback class of the 2026 NFL draft is not that deep, in part because several players produced disappointing seasons in 2025.
One of those players was LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, who had a career-best year in 2024 but regressed significantly last season. It turns out, though, that Nussmeier was dealing with a serious injury that hindered his play for the entire year.
Nussmeier finally addressed the injury at the combine, explaining what went wrong in 2025. Here’s why the LSU quarterback struggled so much in his final season.
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Garrett Nussmeier discusses abdomen injury
Garrett Nussmeier entered the 2025 season as one of the top quarterback prospects in the nation, but he struggled throughout the year, which hurt his stock. However, the LSU quarterback played through an injury all season, which played a role in his lack of success.
At the combine, Nussmeier told the media that the injury clearly inhibited his play, to the point that he was in pain every game.
“I think it was pretty evident,” Nussmeier said. “I really wasn’t able to throw the football. I had a stabbing pain in my ab every time I went to throw the ball.”
LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier said his injury occurred Day 2 of fall camp:
“How much did it affect me? I think it was pretty evident.
“I really wasn’t able to throw the football. I had a stabbing pain in my ab every time I went to go throw the football.” pic.twitter.com/i6cLL9irMn
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) February 27, 2026
Nussmeier mentioned that his doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him, which made it difficult for him to play through the season.
“We weren’t able to figure out exactly what it was, it was a frustrating deal,” “It was just a rare deal, it was just a thing that we really didn’t figure out what it was until two months ago.”
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How did Garrett Nussmeier suffer abdomen injury?
Nussmeier said he suffered the injury during the second day of fall camp, and it impacted him throughout the season. It’s unclear exactly how Nussmeier got injured, but the injury lingered all season as LSU had a disappointing year in Baton Rouge.
After playing in every game in 2024, Nussmeier played in just nine games last year, as he was shut down in November while nursing the abdomen injury.
Garrett Nussmeier stats at LSU
| Year | Games | Completion percentage | Passing yards | Touchdowns | Interceptions | Passer rating |
| 2021 | 4 | 50.9% | 329 | 2 | 2 | 103.9 |
| 2022 | 7 | 61.9% | 800 | 5 | 4 | 152.0 |
| 2023 | 7 | 61.5% | 591 | 4 | 1 | 139.5 |
| 2024 | 13 | 64.2% | 4,052 | 29 | 12 | 142.7 |
| 2025 | 9 | 67.4% | 1,927 | 12 | 5 | 133.8 |
Nussmeier spent his entire college career at LSU, but was a backup for his first three years before taking over as a starter in 2024. The quarterback’s best season came in 2024, as he led the SEC in completions and attempts, but also led the conference with 12 interceptions.
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Garrett Nussmeier draft projection
Nussmeier is a projected day-two pick, but TSN’s Vinnie Iyer didn’t have the LSU quarterback in his most recent two-round NFL mock draft. With how fickle quarterback draft projections can be, Nussmeier could sneak into the first round or fall to the third day depending on his draft process.
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How old is Garrett Nussmeier?
Garrett Nussmeier turned 24 years-old in early February, making him one of the older prospects in this year’s class. He spent five years at LSU but sat on the bench for three seasons before taking over as the Tigers’ starting quarterback in 2024.