Field Yates reveals how Garrett Nussmeier could impact 'great mystery' around QB3 in 2026 NFL Draft

Through the early part of the 2026 NFL Draft, the top two quarterbacks appear set. Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza seems poised to go atop the board to the Las Vegas Raiders, and Alabama’s Ty Simpson is considered the second-highest rated quarterback prospect.

But when it comes to QB3, the race seems wide open. As the week of Senior Bowl practices gets underway, ESPN’s Field Yates said LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier could be a name to watch.

Yates called the race for QB3 as the “great mystery” of this year’s draft. That’s where events such as the Senior Bowl in Mobile will be important while determining where each quarterback will go on the board. But specifically with Nussmeier, he has shown the skillset to impress scouts, even despite being more of a pocket passer.

“Probably the headlining quarterback in this group is Garrett Nussmeier from LSU – who, of course, had an uneven finish to his college career,” Yates said Wednesday on NFL Live. “A lot of hope and expectation. ‘Could this be a first-round quarterback?’ Instead, as you know well, he was benched late in the season for LSU.

“As we know with Garrett, this is a player who’s not this overly athletic quarterback. When he has time and space, though, he’s a very gifted, adept, anticipation thrower. If the offensive line during this [next Wednesday] practice holds up like the offensive line did in the practice just prior to this, it is not going to be a day where Garrett Nussmeier has the opportunity to operate well from the pocket.”

Where the 3rd QB could go in 2026 NFL Draft

Garrett Nussmeier entered the 2025 season with high expectations after a strong 2024 campaign at LSU. However, injuries impacted his production, and Michael Van Buren eventually took over as the starter late in the year. All told, Nussmeier threw for 1,927 yards and 12 touchdowns, to five interceptions, across nine games.

Heading into the Senior Bowl, Nussmeier ranked No. 6 in ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.’s Top 10 QB rankings. He sat behind Miami’s Carson Beck and Penn State’s Drew Allar, as well as Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss, who is in the midst of a legal battle for eligibility in 2026.

But with Fernando Mendoza expected to go No. 1 overall and Ty Simpson generating first-round buzz, the question is where the next quarterback will go on the board. To Field Yates, Nussmeier has an opportunity to shape that race.

“In this draft, the great mystery, of course, is we know Fernando Mendoza’s going to go Quarterback 1,” Yates said. “Ty Simpson from Alabama, well-positioned to be Quarterback 2. Who is going to be Quarterback 3, and how high will that player be drafted?

“Could it be somewhere on Day 2? Might he have to wait until Day 3? This week, for guys like Garrett Nussmeier, is going to influence that race for that third quarterback taken.”