Just as Lane Kiffin seemed poised to land an LSU legacy recruit, Kentucky is acting as a massive hurdle in fulfilling his plans. Former LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan, the coach who helped develop Garrett Nussmeier, is now part of the Wildcats. This old connection could validate Kentucky’s push for Garrett’s brother and Kiffin’s target, Colton, putting the LSU head coach in a precarious position.

Kentucky gave Colton Nussmeier a scholarship in January and invited him for a visit in March. Their new coach, Will Stein, has Joe Sloan as offensive coordinator, who used to coach at LSU when Colton’s brother, Garrett, played there. Kentucky wants to improve its offense in 2026 and is looking for a quarterback for 2027 after another player, DJ Hunter, changed his mind. Besides LSU and Georgia, Kentucky and Arkansas are also trying to recruit Colton.

The LSU Tigers have been eyeing Colton Nussmeier since 2024, as they have extended their offer to him since then. Knowing his ties with the team, as his brother Garrett Nussmeier played on the team, the move looks easy. But he is yet to make his final decision, as he is planning on taking a visit to Georgia and Arkansas. Bringing him to Baton Rouge matters most to Lane Kiffin, as he is already short of QBs this season after Michael Van Buren’s and Colin Hutley’s portal moves.

Even though they have Sam Leavitt, there has to be a reliable QB, and Nussmeier can be the one. But even Georgia’s case looks strong, looking at his family ties with the program. Colton’s father, Doug Nussmeier, worked with Kirby Smart while they were under Nick Saban at Alabama back in 2012 and 2013. On top of that, if anyone needs a strong QB on the team, then it’s the Bulldogs.

Kirby Smart has lost five-star quarterback Jared Curtis to Vanderbilt. They did add Bryson Beaver from Portal, but there’s still room left for the 2027 class QB. Georgia has six commitments so far in the class, but has yet to grab a quarterback commit, whereas Lane Kiffin already has Peyton Houston on the team. This will give Nussmeier an instant chance to perform next season with the Bulldogs with no competition.

Another factor that stands out the most in front of Colton Nussmeier is Kirby Smart and his coaches train their players so they are ready for the NFL instead of only picking players who are already stars. In the 2025 NFL Draft, 13 players from Georgia were picked, which was more than from almost any other school.

Arkansas also offered Colton a scholarship in January 2025. Their new coach, Ryan Silverfield, wants to impress recruits during offseason visits. Arkansas is keeping its backup quarterback, KJ Jackson, and adding transfers AJ Hill and Braeden Fuller to strengthen the team. So, Colton Nussmeier can be another major addition to the team.

For now, the dates of his spring visits are not yet confirmed, but it’s pretty clear why all these teams are running behind Colton’s commitment.

Colton Nussmeier’s exceptional high school showing

Many top high school football players have already decided which college they will go to, but some are still thinking and visiting schools to choose the best one. One of these players is QB Colton Nussmeier. Now, he has been grabbing analysts’ eyes for quite some time; analyst Hudson Standish praised his skills in his last year’s scouting reports.

“He can attack the quick game like few others in the class thanks to his buttoned-up lower body mechanics and processing power.” Standish said, “He has shown the ability to make plays happen off schedule, but must continue to improve sack avoidance if he’s going to reach his ceiling.”

In his first two years at Marcus High School, Colton Nussmeier threw the football for 2,219 yards, scored 20 touchdowns, and had only four passes picked off. He also played basketball for three years while he was in high school. Colton is 6‑foot‑3, which helps him see over players on the line and make good throws. Scouts even say he is a “left‑armed southpaw,” so he can throw the ball far and challenge defenses down the field.

What works in their favor even more is that Colton Nussmeier is also fully recovered from his injury. Last year in October, Nussmeier sustained a leg injury that kept him on the sidelines for several weeks. Now, Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman confirmed that he is fully healthy and ready to show up on the field. So, let’s wait and see which team finally lands Nussmeier’s commitment.