KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs rounded out their 2026 NFL Draft class with the selection of their first quarterback since Patrick Mahomes in the first round of the 2017 draft.
LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier is the project quarterback tapped by General Manager Brett Veach to challenge for a backup role alongside former first-round selection Justin Fields, veteran holdover Chris Oladokun, and third-year free-agent addition Jake Haener.
Nussmeier enjoyed a breakout season in 2024, stepping in for Jayden Daniels in the LSU backfield, completing 64% of his passes for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns with 12 interceptions.
The 6-foot-1, 203-pound passer struggled through an injury-riddled 2025 campaign, playing nine games with 1,927 yards passing, 12 touchdowns, and five interceptions.
Nussmeier battled an abdominal injury last season and also played through patella tendon tendinitis. Draft analyst Dane Brugler of The Athletic says the injuries led to poor mechanics and an inability to rotate through the football. His lack of game experience — he started only 23 games in five seasons with LSU.
When healthy, Brugler reports Nussmeier has a smooth delivery, has a good feel for all his reads, and possesses the ability to quickly identify zone coverage. Brugler quotes an NFL scout saying, “(He) has natural leadership qualities, and guys listen to him because they like him.”
The Chiefs are expected to carry all five quarterbacks into offseason workouts, especially since Mahomes is expected to be a limited participant in offseason team practice activities (OTAs) and likely will not take part in team periods until training camp. The Chiefs normally carry four quarterbacks during the offseason and into training camp.
