The spotlight is firmly on Colton Nussmeier, the younger brother of LSU’s starting QB Garrett Nussmeier. Entering his junior year at Marcus High School in Flower Mound, Texas, Colton has already positioned himself among the most pursued commits in the 2027 cycle. The younger Nussmeier has developed a family with Kelly’s program for obvious reasons, and now the Tigers are positioned as the clear favorite to land him. But if the previous recruiting saga and transfer portal have taught us anything, it’s that nothing is official until pen meets paper.

Steve Wiltfong summed it up well on The Wiltfong whip-round: “The three that are on campus. You got Colton Nussmeier, probably the favorite to end up signing with LSU, at least now, at least the way I see it.” But the 6’3″, 185-pound Texan owns offers from LSU, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and a growing list of national contenders. Wiltfong’s read is clear: “Colton Nussmeier, that’s where the prediction sits for me right now. LSU, I like the Tigers, but Alabama, Georgia, and Florida are a few other SEC programs that he’s high on.” If LSU can slow Florida’s momentum, that race could change in a hurry.

Wiltfong’s read is clear: “Colton Nussmeier, that’s where the prediction sits for me right now. LSU, I like the Tigers, but Alabama, Georgia, and Florida are a few other SEC programs that he’s high on.” If LSU can slow Florida’s momentum, that race could change in a hurry.

This summer, Nussmeier hit the road to sharpen those relationships. “This summer I went to LSU, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama for camps and just to be around their campus,” Nussmeier said to Rivals. “I like them a lot. I like all of them. I think they’ve made a good impression on me.” These trips underscored what many already knew. Nussmeier isn’t taking shortcuts in his recruitment. He wants to take his time, visit these programs, and then “find the right fit” and decide where he wants to go.

Brian Kelly isn’t hedging his bets, though. While Colton might be the flashiest piece on the board, LSU is hedging with volume. This past weekend, they even hosted 2026 South Carolina QB commit Landon Duckworth for the Louisiana Tech game, showing a willingness to kick the tires on every possible arm.

LSU keeps the door open on Duckworth despite SEC commitment

If Colton Nussmeier is the big-picture play, then Duckworth feels like the immediate pressure point on LSU’s QB recruiting board. The Alabama product already carries SEC credentials, and unlike the younger names in the 2027 cycle, he’d be a real candidate to see the field next fall if the portal doesn’t deliver a proven veteran. That’s why his recent Baton Rouge stop was more than just another recruiting weekend—it was a litmus test for where LSU stands in the chase.

Wiltfong summed it up this way: “Duckworth left Baton Rouge with an offer from LSU. Leading up to the game, he spent a lot of time with the staff, soaked in the game-day atmosphere, and on Sunday, he remained on campus meeting with various people about what his experience at LSU would look like. There is confidence around the program that this moved the needle in Duckworth’s recruitment. As LSU works to get Duckworth back for an official visit, he’s saying all the right things to South Carolina about his commitment status.”

LSU may feel they’ve made inroads, but Duckworth hasn’t exactly cooled on the Gamecocks. With LaNorris Sellers looking like the face of South Carolina’s future offense, Duckworth likely sees a clear runway to stardom in Columbia.