On Wednesday Night, Garrett Nussmeier came to a decision to return to LSU rather than heading off to the NFL Draft. The decision was a serious decision to make as Nussmeier was Mel Kiper's 4th ranked quarterback in the class which makes him a potential first round pick.
Nussmeier returning to LSU is massive for the Tigers in several ways as LSU heads into the 2025 season. There was no clear next man up for LSU if Garrett Nussmeier left for the NFL Draft which could've left LSU bidding for one of the top quarterbacks in the Transfer Portal.
Now LSU doesn't need to worry about landing a starting caliber quarterback which clears up one potential need and it also makes LSU's pitch to potential transfers much easier. Nussmeier passed for the 6th most yards in the Country and the 2nd most in the SEC, three of the six players ahead of Nussmeier are off to the NFL.
LSU is pursuing a ton on the offensive side of the football including Wide Receivers and Tight Ends. Given how successful Nussmeier was and how massive his passing stats were, he's an attractive quarterback to play with if you're a pass catcher looking to improve your draft stock.
The Tigers already got tight end Luke Masz on Campus while they have visits planned with Kentucky Wide Receiver Barion Brown and Oklahoma Wide Receiver Nic Anderson while they hope to get Texas A&M's Micah Hudson on campus. Brown is a versatile weapon that when paired with Aaron Anderson and Zavion Thomas could make a tough group to guard. Nic Anderson is that massive wide receiver you can put on the outside and rely on in the redzone which LSU lacks in the group coming back.
If you're one of the top tight ends in the transfer portal like Luke Masz or the other tight ends in the transfer portal you look at what Garrett Nussmeier did with Mason Taylor and that has to be appealing as Taylor leaves for the NFL Draft. Mason Taylor caught 55 passes for 546 yards and a pair of touchdowns and will likely be a first or second round pick in the NFL Draft.
Garrett Nussmeier is now the key to LSU's Transfer Portal pitch
Now the biggest hope is that Garrett Nussmeier takes a massive jump in his second season as the starter in this offense like Jayden Daniels did last season. The Tigers now get to pitch to offensive linemen, wide receivers, and tight ends that they'll get to play alongside one of the better quarterbacks in the country who can elevate everyone around him. If LSU plays the Transfer Portal right, the Tigers will have an incredible group capable of making the College Football Playoff and playing for a National Championship.