Jets continue wooing top QB prospects with latest Garrett Nussmeier interest

The New York Jets, who have no long-term answer at quarterback after supposedly kicking the can down the road for a year with the Geno Smith move, are doing more than just due diligence on the top prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.

After the Jets were confirmed to have scheduled a private workout with Alabama's Ty Simpson, who could be a target at No. 16 overall, it appears as though they are moving forward with a visit for LSU's Garrett Nussmeier. Many projected Nussmeier to be selected somewhere on Day 2 of the Draft.

Nussmeier is also set to meet with the Los Angeles Rams, who need a long-term answer behind Matthew Stafford, and the Indianapolis Colts, who would like a solid backup plan after Daniel Jones suffered an Achilles injury. The Jets will need to compete with a few playoff contenders if they want to secure Nussmeier.

Jets scheduling meeting with LSU quarterack Garrett Nussmeier

Nussmeier is a gamble, as teams will be hoping to see the 2024 incarnation of the Bayou Bengals' standout rather than the 2025 version. Last year, Nussmeier was playing through injuries and being led by a lame-duck coaching staff that fostered a disappointing offensive environment despite talent at receiver.

The son of Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier and holder of LSU's coveted No. 18 jersey, Nussmeier has a tremendous ability to diagnose defenses at the line of scrimmage and get the ball where it needs to go. His arm talent and accuracy are both solid for an NFL quarterback, and he excels between the ears.

He is a smaller quarterback at 6-foot-1 and barely over 200 pounds. With smaller hands, a propensity to put the ball in harm's way when he tries to force things, and some injuries on the ledger, Nussmeier has many of the flaws that smaller quarterbacks often need to overcome.

Nussmeier would be able to join a Jets team that has a locked-in starter in Smith, but won't be tied to him if he started to look less like Seahawks Geno and more like Raiders Geno. Nussmeier could also perform well enough to get the Jets to look past what is allegedly a much deeper and stronger quarterback class in 2027.

A Smith-Nussmeier quarterback room would be a sign that Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey are betting on 2025 being an apparition and the following year being the true barometer of their skills.