Garrett Nussmeier looks primed to end his collegiate career as one of the best in the game this year. It wasn’t smooth sailing for him last year, and he got to work on his flaws. And now, Nussmeier is expected to put forward the best version of himself in his last season. However, sneaking up on his hopes is an equally formidable QB who is just beginning his career as a starting QB. That’s none other than the VVIP of college football at the moment, Arch Manning. In fact, he’s the only other quarterback who comes close to dethroning the LSU QB as the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft. Brian Kelly, however, is betting otherwise.

Garrett Nussmeier took over for Jayden Daniels in 2024. Until then, he had 1,720 yards and 11 TDs. In one year, Nussmeier aka LSU’s ‘Gunslinger,’ braved the field and racked up 4,043 yards and 29 touchdowns. But it was not an entirely spectacular show of firepower. Those gunslinging plays also earned him an alarmingly high 12 interceptions. His problem areas were cited by many analysts as causes for concern for the QB, when he declared for the draft in 2025. But on HC Brian Kelly’s insistence, Nussmeier is back to silence critics with a reportedly finer style of playing this year. But with Manning in the mix, he’s not the only high-stakes QB in college football this year.

All eyes will be on the Longhorns QB as he makes his much-awaited debut as  QB1. Manning, like Nussmeier, is also expected to go as the No. 1 pick in the draft next year. In a June 10 episode of ESPN College Football, Pete Thamel jokingly accused Rece David of leaning on Manning more than Nussmeier. But David clarified that when asked about the first team All-SEC quarterback, it would be between these two elite QBs. Kelly also took a dig in jest at Manning. “We hear it every day. He’s from, you know, he’s from Louisiana, right?” he said. “There’s another guy that hears it all the time, too, and that’s Garrett Nussmeier,” Kelly argued, batting for his QB1.

“He’s committed. He’s more than anything else experienced. And in this league, you need to see the bullets flying… Nussmeier’s seen it. He knows what he’s going to get. There’s a confidence that he’ll bring to each and every game that through experience, maybe even through some scar tissue, that’s going to allow him to be, I believe, the best quarterback. Now, Manning is extremely talented, but he’s got to go do it… I could see the assessment of Manning. He’s an outstanding player. Um, but I’ll take the guy that’s been in the SEC and seeing what it looks like,” the HC elaborated.

For two years, Manning was on backup duty for Quinn Ewers, despite surpassing him in popularity. He only has 969 yards, 9 TDs, and a completion percentage of 66.3%. He’s an elite QB and gave fans a taste of his game in the UTSA matchup last year. Nussmeier took a few snags to his 2024 campaign – what Kelly referred to as ”scar tissue” – but he is coming out strong after revisiting them. “You got to go through those tough times to come out on the other end of it. You know, we lost three games in a row and look, he did not play very well,” Kelly noted. “He would not run when he needed to run, quite frankly, in certain situations,” he added. Even Todd McShay pointed this flaw out in his scouting report for Nussmeier.

“I think you just got to go through that and experience it. And I think he has. And that’s why I’m confident that from what I’ve seen in the spring, he knows what he needs to do this year,” Kelly said. Nussmeier showed improvement towards the end of the regular season with two wins, and capped it all off with a bowl game win. When it comes to the draft next year, Kelly is high on Nussmeier making waves.

Brian Kelly on why Garrett Nussmeier should go as the top draft pick

The HC passionately lauded the LSU QB’s mental prowess, and his playing style when asked about why Nussmeier should go as a top pick. “He’s a coach’s son. We all know that, right? I mean, you know, he’s been around the game. He knows the game so well sometimes that it comes easy to him,” Kelly said. But that knowledge of the game has come through some stumbles Nussmeier faced last year. “He feels like he can make every throw and I get it, but uh sometimes the receiver is not in the same place that he needs to be… I think he’s really learned those things in the hard way, right? I mean, he’s had to, you know, when you’re the quarterback and you’re not winning, you get way too much blame.”

Nussmeier was quickly pinned as the reason for the Tigers’ downfall because of his dangerously brazen plays and inconsistencies. Turnovers piled up, and like Kelly said, the running needed to improve. However, we know that there were other elements at fault, too. Especially the WR room, which faltered after the departure of Malik Nabers. Now, Brian Kelly will be entering the season with an offense that’s had some time to develop under 2nd-year OC Joe Sloan. Ranked 6 in offenses in the SEC as of now, there’s still a lot of hope in this rejuvenated team.

Nussmeier is the uncontested contender to go for the crown in the draft next year, and his experience will back him up for that. Arch Manning has to pull off something absolutely extraordinary to be in better contention for that position. Brian Kelly has no doubts that the QB will deliver a spellbinding performance this year and will bow out gracefully.