One of the things that scouts will often do when evaluating talent to make the jump from college to the professional level is to give those players a player comparison. They assign them something that their game is similar to, or reminds them of when they watch them perform.
Potential first overall pick in next year's 2026 NFL Draft, Garrett Nussmeier, reminds long-time scout Todd McShay of a former Heisman trophy winner out of Oklahoma:
McShay says that there is still film to watch, but Nussmeier does remind him of current Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Nussmeier posted incredible numbers last season for the LSU Tigers, throwing for 4,052 yards. He would also add in 40 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. He had a 62.6% completion percentage as well. With another year under his belt, he will look to improve on the turnovers to cement his chances of hearing his name called early on in the draft.
His game is very similar to that of Mayfield. He is willing to spread the ball around, and progress through his reads similar to the way Baker progresses through his. Mayfield also threw for 4,627 yards in his final season at Oklahoma, as well as 43 touchdowns. The one complaint about both players has been that they will, at times, make throws that they should not have made in an attempt to be aggressive down the field.
The main difference between the two players is that Nussmeier is not prone to tucking the ball and running with it, should the opportunity arise. Mayfield is known for his scrambling ability should the play break down.
How Nussmeier does this upcoming season will determine where he is drafted. However, being compared already to Mayfield is a solid comparison, especially seeing the career resurgence Mayfield has found with Tampa Bay.