After a rocky 2025 season at LSU, preseason Heisman-hyped QB Garrett Nussmeier saw his draft stock take a hit. Despite that, the LSU signal-caller earned a chance to prove himself at the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl. As his draft stock begins to rise again, attention has also turned to his father, but that’s where Saints offensive coordinator and Garrett’s father Doug Nussmeier stepped in to clear the air.

“Obviously, there’s a difference between being a dad and being an NFL offensive coordinator,” said Doug Nussmeier during Wednesday’s interview with WGNO-TV. “You have to draw lines on certain things. It’s cool to be here and be part of the experience.”

While some may assume Doug helped boost his son’s draft stock, his role at the Senior Bowl was strictly professional as the Saints’ OC and a team representative tasked with evaluating talent. If Garrett didn’t have the ability or couldn’t show it on the field, his draft stock wouldn’t rise simply because of an NFL connection. Doug’s comments reflect that understanding.

He knows his role at the Senior Bowl, and it has no bearing on Garrett Nussmeier’s rising draft stock. That reality aligns with Garrett’s 2025 season at LSU, which never found a consistent rhythm because of injuries. As a result, he missed the final three regular-season games and the Texas Bowl, with Michael Van Buren stepping in at QB.

Because of that, most mock drafts peg Garrett as a Day 2 prospect, typically in Rounds 2–3, though some analysts still whisper about a late first-round ceiling. But if he sharpens his game and stays healthy, the Senior Bowl could mark the beginning of a comeback story scouts didn’t see coming. That’s when his track record speaks volumes.

Despite the injuries, Garrett still threw for 1,927 yards during the 2025 season. But that production was a sharp contrast to 2024, when he thrived in his first year as LSU’s starter, leading the Tigers to a 9–4 record and capping the season with Texas Bowl MVP honors. Just like that, while talent has never been in question for the LSU QB, his father’s role is not in question.

Doug Nussmeier is not one of the Saints coaches serving in a prominent position on the American team’s staff. Also, he doesn’t even have any responsibility to file a formal scouting report on his son at the Senior Bowl.

“I’ll leave that to his coaches, but we are working to evaluate the whole roster. Here as a dad to see Garrett, but also working as a coach with the Saints to look at the offensive players,” added Doug Nussmeier.

Garrett Nussmeier may have plenty to prove as he works his way back from the abdominal injury that disrupted his LSU season. However, every rep in Mobile matters. His rise at the Senior Bowl is earned on talent alone; having his father nearby doesn’t hurt.

“We’re blessed, and I am blessed to be able to do that and feel fortunate that he (Garrett) has an opportunity to be here and compete with the best,” said Doug.

Doug Nussmeier isn’t pulling strings or shaping evaluations; he’s providing perspective. But as an NFL OC, he understands exactly what the league demands, and that knowledge has been part of Garrett’s development long before the Senior Bowl lights turned on.

“I’m extremely blessed to have him in my life,” said Garrett. “To have an upper hand in the sense of knowing what to expect. Being around guys he’s coached in the last six or seven years, like Dak (Prescott), Jalen Hurts, Justin Herbert, and now Tyler in his first year. Just being able to study those guys from afar and see how they interact has helped me a lot.”

The LSU QB’s presence in Mobile represents just another chapter in that journey with guidance, not favoritism. And ultimately, Garrett’s play is doing all the talking.

Garrett Nussmeier is making waves with his performance

Garrett Nussmeier arrived in Mobile with plenty on the line, and he’s made it count. While the Senior Bowl is built for moments like this, Nussmeier has wasted no time making noise.

After an injury-marred 2025 season cut short, this week offered a clean reset and a chance for him to remind scouts who he really is. So far, he’s delivered. On Day 1, Nussmeier led all QBs in key ball-tracking metrics, posting the longest air-distance throw (51.5 yards) and the fastest initial air speed (74.9 mph).

Then came the situational work. In two-minute drills, he was sharp and decisive. He hit Malachi Fields, Lewis Bond, Ja’Kobi Lane, and Ted Hurst while navigating pressure and extending plays with subtle athleticism. With that, while the highlight reel keeps growing, a perfectly placed back-shoulder throw to Barion Brown stood out as one of the cleaner reps of the week.

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Although his LSU career didn’t end the way he envisioned, the resume still speaks loudly, as it includes a top-five finish in TDs and a rank of second all-time in completions in program history. Despite that, once viewed as a potential first-rounder, Nussmeier entered the process as a Day 2 projection. But after this week in Mobile, that stock is clearly trending up.