Week 1 of the college football season didn’t just bring fireworks on the field. It sent shockwaves through the first 2026 NFL mock draft, with LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier emerging as the new projected No. 1 overall pick. For a player who entered the season with questions about upside and consistency, the rise is as stunning as it is sudden.
Nussmeier wasn’t just competent against Clemson’s high caliber defense. He was commanding. He operated LSU’s offense like a general, taking apart one of the nation's best defensive units while showing the traits that NFL quarterback positions coaches would love.
His numbers were solid throwing for 230 yards and a touchdown without an interception but the film revealed more than the box score. Pre-snap adjustments, pocket awareness, and controlled aggression defined his performance.
That’s why, in the first wave of overreactions, the New Orleans Saints are now projected to take him at No. 1. It almost feels too perfect. A Louisiana native and LSU standout staying home to revive a franchise in need of stability at quarterback. The story writes itself here, and if Nussmeier continues to perform like he did against Clemson, the Saints may not hesitate when the 2026 draft rolls around.
Arch Manning, long billed as the golden child of the class, slips from the top spot. Manning’s name rings bells and his hype still keeps him in the conversation, but his uneven Week 1 showing opened the door. Nussmeier stormed through it with poise and polish.
Skeptics will ask if Nussmeier can sustain this trajectory. He doesn’t have elite size at 6-1, and his arm strength is good but not jaw-dropping. Those limitations will follow him through the season, but every snap he takes performs dispels the negativity.
What he lacks in measurables, he makes up for with feel and football IQ. NFL coaches often prize those traits even more than raw athleticism.
One game doesn’t decide a draft class. Nussmeier still has to navigate the SEC gauntlet, stay healthy, and prove that Week 1 wasn’t a flash in the pan. But for now, the headlines belong to the LSU quarterback who just vaulted himself into the national spotlight.
Week 1 gave fans their first taste of what the 2026 draft could look like. And right now, Garrett Nussmeier sits on top of it.