Daniel Jeremiah: Garrett Nussmeier has 'shades' of Tony Romo, Andy Dalton, Brock Purdy in his game

Back for one more season at LSU, Garrett Nussmeier is generating early Heisman Trophy buzz in 2025. He’s also seen as one of the top quarterbacks in the 2026 NFL Draft, though NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said he doesn’t have just one NFL comparison.

Jeremiah sees three different players in Nussmeier’s game. There are similarities to former Dallas Cowboys star Tony Romo, veteran Andy Dalton and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. While Nussmeier isn’t a “perfect match” for any of those three, he has a little bit of each in his skillset.

Jeremiah specifically pointed to a delivery like Romo’s and an accuracy like Dalton. Add in Purdy’s frame, and there’s the combination.

“I don’t have a clean one-to-one comparison, but I do see elements of three different quarterbacks I’ve studied over the years,” Jeremiah wrote. “Nussmeier’s movement and delivery are reminiscent of Tony Romo. His touch and deep-ball trajectory/accuracy gave me some Andy Dalton vibes. His competitive nature and physical frame compare favorably to Brock Purdy.

“Nussmeier’s not a perfect match for any of those three players, but it feels like he comes from the same quarterback family. He might not be their brother, but he could be their cousin … or nephew!”

Nussmeier put up huge numbers in 2024 after taking over as LSU’s starting quarterback. He threw for 4,052 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, and will run it back for one more year with hopes of improving his NFL Draft stock. ESPN’s Matt Miller recently projected him to be the No. 11 overall pick in his way-too-early mock draft earlier this week.

Of course, Nussmeier is also facing high expectations as a Year 2 starter in Baton Rouge, especially given recent history. Both Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels won the Heisman Trophy in their second seasons with the program. Nussmeier currently has the second-best odds to win the award this year, trailing only Texas’ Arch Manning, according to Circa Sports.

But when it comes to comparisons to either Burrow or Daniels, Nussmeier is keeping things in perspective. He wants to write his own legacy while also hoping to achieve the ultimate goal of winning a title.

“I’m Garrett Nussmeier,” Nussmeier said at the Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux, La. “I’m not Jayden Daniels, I’m not Joe Burrow – I’m Garrett Nussmeier. So I’m going to be the best Garrett Nussmeier I can be and hopefully, it’s enough for the LSU Tigers.”