Just a few months ago, most NFL analysts viewed LSU’s quarterback Garrett Nussmeier as a near-certain first-round pick, with some even projecting him to go No. 1 overall. But when the 2026 NFL Draft finally arrived, Nussmeier waited anxiously for two days before the Kansas City Chiefs selected him at No. 249 overall. It was a move that surprised many because of his health issues, but the Chiefs had their reasons to take a gamble on him.

At the NFL Scouting Combine, doctors discovered a cyst on Nussmeier’s spine. While the condition isn’t expected to pose long-term risks, it does press against a nerve that likely contributed to the lingering oblique pain Nussmeier dealt with throughout last season. So, this could also affect his durability in the NFL, but the Chiefs don’t seem to think so.

“For whatever reason, he didn’t have a great season,” Ryne Nutt, the Chiefs’ vice president of player personnel, said in the post-draft recap with media on Monday. “I do know he [Nussmeier] was battling through an oblique that people didn’t know about. That was bothering him the whole year. If you’re a quarterback and you can’t torque your hips and bring your hips through, the ball may not come out with as much velocity as you want.

“And they also fired the head coach and the offensive coordinator there in the middle of the year. But this is a game of results and not reasons, right? So, I don’t think it was the cyst. I don’t think it had anything to do with the medical stuff because we were fine with it. I think it was maybe just the season.”

In 2024, Garrett Nussmeier delivered his best season in college football, which fueled first-round hype. In over 13 games, he recorded 4,052 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, firmly placing himself among top QB prospects like Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson. Nussmeier’s career trajectory pointed upward, but then came the 2025 season, and everything unraveled.

Last season, Nussmeier suffered from an abdominal issue and dealt with patellar tendinitis in his left knee. As a result, Nussmeier could play just 9 games, recording 1,927 yards, 12 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Now, Ryne Nutt just suggested that it was not the injuries but the bad circumstances that affected Nussmeier’s performance in 2025.

After LSU suffered its third loss in 2025, head coach Brian Kelly lost his job. Then, even under an interim HC, the cracks in LSU’s offense became impossible to ignore. In the first game after Kelly’s firing, Nussmeier took a costly 14-yard sack that pushed LSU out of the red zone. Shortly after that, Nussmeier was benched in favor of backup Michael Van Buren Jr.

But even when he returned to the starting role, Nussmeier struggled to regain confidence. Meanwhile, LSU’s offensive line continued to falter, and the team finished the season unranked. So, it was ultimately a combination of instability, injuries, and pressure that caused Nussmeier’s draft stock to plummet. 

Now, while Nussmeier’s cyst is asymptomatic, the possibility of future surgery also made QB-needy teams pass on him. But the Chiefs saw something different in him—a low-risk, high-reward prospect that fit perfectly into their plans.

Did the Chiefs benefit from Garrett Nussmeier’s draft slide?

When the Chiefs selected Garrett Nussmeier, the team did something that they hadn’t done in nearly a decade. The last time the Chiefs drafted a QB was in 2017, when they selected Patrick Mahomes with the No. 10 overall pick in the first round. Now, while Mahomes remains their starter, the team has apparently discussed drafting another QB to develop behind him for a while.

“We’re excited to have this kid,” Ryne Nutt said while talking about Nussmeier. “He’s going to be a developmental guy for us. We’re excited about Justin Fields, obviously, we brought him in. But this is something we haven’t done, and we’ve talked about for a while now – getting a quarterback late and developing him. And Garrett gives us that opportunity.”

After acquiring Justin Fields via trade last month, the Chiefs have secured a short-term backup QB option. Fields could even step in as a starter if Mahomes needs more time to recover from his injury in 2026. But with his contract only covering the 2026 season, the Chiefs are already thinking ahead. That’s where Nussmeier fits into their plans. Instead of rushing Nussmeier onto the field, the Chiefs can afford to develop him to be Mahomes’ backup for the 2027 season. And Nussmeier sounds ready to embrace that role.

“It’s a great opportunity for me to learn,” Nussmeier told reporters shortly after being drafted. “I’m just grateful that I have this opportunity. I can only imagine. I’m so excited to be in a room with those guys, Coach Reid and his unbelievable offensive mind, and sitting behind Patrick and steal some things from him and see the game through his eyes. It’s going to be an unbelievable experience for me.”

Developing under Andy Reid, one of the league’s most innovative offensive minds, while observing Mahomes up close, could also accelerate Nussmeier’s development. Additionally, as the son of New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, who was raised in the film room, he possesses a high football IQ. At 6’1”, Nussmeier also has the size and quality arm strength to become the pick that looks like a steal years down the line.