It is extremely difficult to win in the NFL, even with a top quarterback on the roster.
Which makes it difficult to understand why the Cleveland Browns have, for the better part of the last 25 years, been trying to win with a ragtag bunch of players at the game’s most important position.
Cleveland has tried everything over the years, from drafting quarterbacks high and low to a steady procession of bridge quarterbacks and reclamation projects, all to no avail.
The team is still trying, as it currently
has one of the worst quarterback rooms in the NFL. And with the 2026 NFL Draft just weeks away, all eyes will once again be on the quarterback position when the Browns are on the clock.
That eternal quest could lead Cleveland to the doorstep of LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier come draft weekend.
Name: Garrett Nussmeier
Position: Quarterback
Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 203 pounds
College: LSU Tigers
2025 Stats: 9 games, 67.4 completion percentage, 1,927 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 133.8 quarterback rating
Career Stats: 40 games, 64.0 completion percentage, 7,699 passing yards, 52 touchdowns, 24 interceptions, 138.6 quarterback rating
Average “Big Board” Position as of Publishing Date from Mock Draft Database: 86th overall, projected third round
The Draft Network’s Grade/Round Value: Round 2 – Winning Starter
What an Expert is Saying
Undersized pocket passer with legitimate arm talent that has not been able to make up for some flaws in his game. Nussmeier is inconsistent in diagnosing coverages and working through progressions, which limits his ability to counter what defenses show him. He plays with a gunslinger’s mindset and doesn’t consistently prioritize ball security. He has a compact release and can spin impressive throws from off-platform angles when needed. He will make a throw that makes you a believer in one series, but he often follows that up with a turnover that reignites the doubt. He has adequate mobility in the pocket and limits his sack count. Teams will need to balance Nussmeier’s mistakes and durability concerns against his potential to improve on his LSU output.
What an Expert is Saying (Bonus Round):
Nussmeier is an undersized quarterback with adequate arm strength and mobility. He brings some durability concerns and a history of turnovers, but his instincts, pocket awareness, anticipation, and ball placement give him a path to develop into a starter in the right system.
A gritty, competitive player, he plays through contact and doesn’t flinch in the pocket—evidenced by a game against Oklahoma in 2024 when he returned from a shoulder injury after missing only six plays to lead the team to a 37-17 win. But I would like to see him practice self-preservation. He looks uncomfortable sliding at the end of runs, which is a concern given his aggressive play style, smaller frame, and injury history.
A team will draft Nussmeier to be an early-career backup with the intention of developing him into a starter down the road. Tony Romo is the high-end NFL comp, but Gardner Minshew II and Jake Browning are also reasonable projections.
Fit with the Browns
Heading into the 2025 season, Nussmeier was a quarterback who many thought would be a first-round pick in this year’s draft. But injuries limited him to just nine games with the Tigers, and he was unable to finish his college career on a high note.
Nussemeier has experience after spending five years at LSU, but has he already hit his ceiling as a quarterback? There is no doubt that the Browns need all the help they can get at the position, but they should be setting their sights on something more than the next Gardner Minshew II.
Browns Player Drafting Could Impact
If the Browns draft a quarterback, then Dillon Gabriel is likely the odd man out. (He may be anyway.) If the Browns draft a good quarterback, then Shedeur Sanders could be taking his show somewhere else this fall.
Priority: Nothing else matters until you get a quarterback.
What are your thoughts on Garrett Nussmeier? Should the Browns take a gamble on him? Let us know in the comments!
