Chiefs Draft QB Garrett Nussmeier At No. 249

Garrett Nussmeier‘s lengthy draft wait has come to an end. The LSU quarterback has been drafted with pick No. 249 by the Chiefs.

Nussmeier was mentioned alongside the likes of Carson Beck and Drew Allar as a candidate to be selected at some point on Day 2 of the draft. Beck was taken by the Cardinals while the Steelers added Allar. Nussmeier, on the other hand, remained available heading into Saturday. It has taken until well into the seventh round for his name to be called.

Like many other quarterbacks, Nussmeier faced high expectations for the 2025 season based on his play the previous year. Things did not go according to plan, however, with an abdominal injury suffered during training camp lingering throughout the season. Nussmeier wound up starting the first nine games of the year before being replaced atop the Tigers’ QB depth chart.

injury concerns remained during the pre-draft process, although his level of play at the Senior Bowl was praised. Medical testing at the Combine revealed a cyst on his spine was the cause of the ailment, and a minor surgery may be needed as a result. Such a procedure did not appear to threaten Nussmeier’s stock to a large extent, but teams around the league clearly have doubts about his NFL outlook. In Kansas City, the 2024 Manning Award finalist will join a QBs room which is certainly not lacking in experience.

Patrick Mahomes will of course handle starting duties once he is healthy. In the meantime, trade acquisition Justin Fields is positioned to take first-team reps during spring practices. The Chiefs also have Jake Haener and Chris Oladokun in the fold. Nussmeier will provide depth while remaining under team control for years to come. He could develop into a low-cost backup over time.

Nussmeier completes a 2026 Chiefs draft class which, to little surprise, was defense-heavy during the early rounds. The play of Kansas City’s earlier picks will have more of an impact on the team’s immediate success, but it will be interesting to see how Nussmeier develops under Andy Reid.